Spinach Roman Style

This dish is all technique. The garlic cloves are browned, the pine nuts toasted and the raisins are plumped in water and heated, each flavor enhancing the spinach. I cut this recipe out of a June 2007 New York Times magazine. The original recipe was published in 1989 and came from "The Food of Southern Italy" by Carlo Middione. Put here for safekeeping, and will try this soon. I will definitely lower the amount of oil way below 1/3 cup, which is what the published recipe stated. If you are not concerned about your waistline, go ahead and use that much. I think this is a very sophisticated recipe, appropriate for a dinner party.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons raisins (black or golden, smallest available)
• 4  bunches spinach, bunches washed at least twice but not dried, trimmed of stems (2 1/2 pounds untrimmed)
• 1  tablespoon  virgin olive oil
• 5  medium garlic cloves, peeled and well crushed
• 4  tablespoons pine nuts
• 1  pinch salt (big pinch)
•  fresh black pepper (6-7 grindings)

Directions

1. Put the raisins in a small bowl with enough warm water to cover. Soak for about 15 minutes and set aside.
2. Put the wet spinach in a frying pan large enough to hold it all and cook over a high flame until it collapses and turns dark green, stirring constantly. Transfer the spinach to a colander and set aside. If the frying pan is wet, dry it with a paper towel.
3. Pour olive oil into the frying pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and brown it, being careful it doesn't burn. Remove and discard. Take the raisins from the water, squeeze as dry as possible and add them to the oil with the pine nuts. Turn the heat down to medium and cook until the nuts turn a golden color. Be careful because the nuts can burn easily.
4. Return spinach to the pan, stir with a fork and add salt and pepper, to taste. Mix all ingredients and continue cooking for about a minute. You may add additional olive oil if desired.