Spinach and Bacon Tartine

By David Tanis

Spinach and Bacon Tartine
Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(408)
Comments
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In Paris’s small neighborhood cafés and bistros, kitchens are extremely small, consisting often of no more than a small wooden cutting board and a wall mounted heavy-duty toaster oven. At lunchtime a hot open-faced tartine — bubbling with fragrant cheese — is a popular menu choice. Similar to a piece of pizza, a tartine is constructed from a thick slice of rustic bread, lightly toasted. A savory topping and some good French cheese precede a few minutes of browning under the broiler. This tartine has a light smear of Dijon mustard, wilted spinach, bacon lardons and the bold-flavored cheese called Raclette, which melts in a spectacular way. If you can’t get Raclette, substitute Gruyère or Emmenthaler. Accompanied by a green salad, it makes a quick light meal, or you may cut the tartine into small wedges to serve with drinks.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 6ounces spinach or chard, washed
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3ounces thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ¼-inch lardons
  • 4large ½-inch-thick slices bread from a day-old rustic loaf, such as miche or pain au levain (about 6 by 4 inches)
  • Dijon mustard
  • 4ounces Raclette or Gruyère cheese
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

1551 calories; 32 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 253 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams dietary fiber; 23 grams sugars; 64 grams protein; 3362 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add spinach, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring for about 1 minute, until just wilted. Drain, cool and squeeze out excess water.

  2. Step 2

    Fry bacon lardons in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for about 1 minute, until barely crisped. Remove and drain on paper towel.

  3. Step 3

    Put the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast lightly on both sides under broiler (or use a toaster and place toasted slices on baking sheet). Brush lightly with mustard. Divide greens among the four toasts and spread out to cover. Tuck the bacon here and there.

  4. Step 4

    Top each toast with slices of Raclette or Gruyère (about 1 ounce total on each toast). Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, not too close to the heat, until nicely browned. Alternatively, bake tartines 3 to 5 minutes on top shelf of a 450-degree oven, or individually in a countertop toaster oven. Serve hot.

Ratings

5 out of 5
408 user ratings
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Comments

Deb

I would cook the bacon lardons FIRST and then saute the spinach in the renderings!!

Kirsten

This has become one of my go-to winter lunches at home. I cook up a batch up greens one night for lunch (I actually use kale or collards), and an extra couple of pieces of bacon one morning, and I just stash them in the fridge for the day I work from home. The mustard kind of ties it together!

Alexandra

I don't share the author's enthusiasm for raclette. Beaufort or Vacherin Fribourgois have more flavour in my opinion. But in any case don't skimp on the quality of the cheese. A few drops of white wine on the bread slices before layering on the other ingredients will give aroma and tang.

carla

definitely made the bacon first then cooked the spinach in the left over bacon fat

Carrie

I made a vegetarian version with vegan bacon. Not enough "M"s in YUMMMM to describe this tartine!

Winter

Cooked the bacon first, as others suggested. Saute'd the spinach with the bacon fat, and a bit of garlic and mushrooms. Put it on leftover onion/rosemary foccacia (sliced in half and toasted), with the various cheeses I had on hand. Fabulous! I've been struggling to find something interesting, tasty, and quick to make with greens for breakfast or light lunch, and this is definitely going into my regular rotation now. Yum!

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