Provencal Spinach Gratin

Name: Provencal Spinach Gratin
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: french
Ingredients: 3 pounds bunch spinach, stemmed and washed in 2 changes of water, or 1 1/2 pounds baby spinach; 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 2 large garlic cloves, minced; Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste; 1 tablespoon all purpose flour; 1/4 cup low-fat milk; 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley; 2 tablespoons fresh or dry bread crumbs (preferably-whole wheat)

By Martha Rose Shulman

Total Time: 45 minutes
Rating: 4(300)
Comments: Read comments

There are a few versions of spinach gratin in Provence (there it is called a tian). This one is all about spinach - no eggs or cheese, just spinach and lots of garlic, a bit of flour to absorb moisture and hold everything together, and bread crumbs to make the top nice and crisp.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

3pounds bunch spinach, stemmed and washed in 2 changes of water, or 1½ pounds baby spinach
3tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2large garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1tablespoon all purpose flour
¼cup low-fat milk
½cup finely chopped parsley
2tablespoons fresh or dry bread crumbs (preferably-whole wheat)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish or gratin and rub with a cut side of one of the garlic cloves before you chop the garlic.
Step 2
Steam the spinach above an inch of boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, until it is wilted. You will probably have to do this in batches. I like to use a pasta pot with an insert for steaming spinach, as I can get a lot of it into the insert. Rinse briefly with cold water, squeeze gently (you don't have to squeeze dry) and chop.
Step 3
In a large bowl, toss together the spinach, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, flour, milk and parsley. Spoon into the gratin dish in an even layer. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top and drizzle on the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
Step 4
Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned and the mixture is sizzling. Serve as a starter or a side.

Tip

Advance preparation: You can prepare this through Step 3 up to a day ahead and refrigerate.

Ratings

4 out of 5

300 user ratings

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Comments

tdalec7 years ago

I wanted this as a main dish, so I added half a finely diced onion and an ounce of grated Parmesan to the spinach mixture, and half an ounce to the bread crumbs. The family loved it.

Sweet Swede7 years ago

What a delicious dish! Didn't have enough spinach so added Swiss chard from my garden and combined a few crushed crackers with panko and parmesan for the topping. Put it together early in the afternoon and baked it just before dinner. The house smelled great and everyone loved it.

Es7 years ago

A nice variation for a side dish. And I really liked that you can do most of it ahead of time and then pop into the oven to finish.

Léa8 months ago

I made this tonight and it was a hit! Used full fat milk and stirred in a little parmesan, otherwise followed the recipe exactly, using baby spinach. Teenagers had multiple servings.

Helen1 year ago

Added some grated onion and then when done tossed it over fresh pappardelle with Parmesan and a little pasta water. Delicious.

bluerroses2 years ago

A nice, unusual side dish that can be made with many variations. Next time I cook this, I'll experiment with mixed greens, add lots of nutmeg to the filling and slivered almonds to the crumb topping.

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