Ingredients
The following ingredients have 4 Servings
- 6 cups baby spinach (packed)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 lb ricotta cheese (drained, if really moist (450g))
- 4 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 4-6 fresh basil leaves (chopped)
- Additional Parmesan cheese
- Garlic Bread or sliced crusty bread
Instruction
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Prepare 4 individual baking dishes (or one larger one - something shallow, in the 8x8/7x10-inch range), by spraying with cooking spray. Place onto a baking sheet.
- In a large skillet, saute the spinach with 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil, 1/2 of the garlic and a sprinkling of salt and pepper until wilted. Remove spinach to a cutting board to cool.
- Meanwhile, wipe out the same skillet used to cook the spinach. Heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browning. Add the cherry tomatoes, butter, basil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until tomatoes soften (3-4 minutes). Turn off heat and set aside.
- Chop the cooled spinach.
- In a large bowl, combine the (cooled and choppespinach, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, flour and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Combine the mixture thoroughly.
- Spoon one half of the tomato mixture into the prepared dishes.
- Using a cutlery tablespoon, scoop mixture, in the amount of half an egg, onto the palm of your hands and gently form into a compact oblong/oval by rolling it from the base of your fingers up your palm and back down again.* Place on top of the tomato sauce in baking dishes. Repeat with the remaining mixture, adding 3 to each individual dish or 12 to one larger dish.
- Top baking dishes with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with a bit more salt and pepper and some Parmesan cheese and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve immediately with some garlic bread (or crusty bread).
