Spinach sformata

Originally from WaPo. I cook it in a 1.5 liter Corningware bowl. If you are going to unmold and present it, you can oil it and sprinkle it with breadcrumbs. I tried lining it with vertical slices of red pepper resembling outlined hearts. The red bled during cooking, and the hearts didn't lie flat against the wall of the bowl after I filled it. A row of thin slices of summer squash around the bottom might look good, or it may be that the ricotta seeps around them, so I'm not sure what will work. One key thing is draining or pressing as much of the water from the spinach as possible to avoid runniness. Our B&B hostess Ruth at Kealakakua adds half-cooked quinoa to to her morning fritatas to absorb liquid released by the cooking spinach.

Ingredients:

• 24 oz fresh spinach, long stems removed
• 1/2 t. each of ground cinnamon and nutmeg
• oil to saute 1 small onion, finely chopt, and 1 clove garlic
• 3 eggs, whites separately beaten, or 6 whites
• 1/2 cup + grated Parmigiano and/or pecorino)
• An ounce (25 g) of raisins, soaked in warm water, then drained and minced (optional)
• 24 oz ricotta; can use skim; can sub in 8 oz. Cottage cheese
• up to 3/4 c. quinoa (can use brown kind) half-cooked in 1 1/2 c water; strain
• Salt and pepper
  

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 and boil ~ 1” water in a skillet. Drain the well-washed spinach and heat it in a pot with the water that remained on the leaves; when it wilts and is pretty done drain it again, cut it pretty fine, press in a strainer, and season it with the cinnamon/nutmeg, pepper, and salt. Combine the spinach with the onion & garlic, cheese, egg yolks if used, quinoa and raisins. Fold in the egg whites and pour the mixture into the mold. Put the skillet into the oven and add the mold. Bake it for 15 min at 375, then for another 40, or until it sets, at 325 and serve it hot, sliced.