Best Spinach Jewish Style Recipes

Sephardic Spinach Patties image

Provided by Gil Marks

Yield Makes about 16 patties

Number Of Ingredients 11

3 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
2 pounds fresh spinach, stemmed, cooked, chopped, and squeezed dry, or 20 ounces thawed frozen chopped spinach, squeezed dry
About 1 cup matza meal or fine dried bread crumbs
About 3/4 teaspoon table salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil for frying
Lemon wedges for serving

Steps:

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and, if using, the garlic and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the spinach, matza meal, salt, pepper, and, if using, the nutmeg. Stir in the eggs. If the mixture is too loose, add a little more matza meal. The mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for a day.
2. Shape the spinach mixture into patties 3 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide, with tapered ends. In a large skillet, heat a thin layer of oil over medium heat. In batches, fry the patties, turning, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm, accompanied with lemon wedges.
Sephardic Spinach Patties with Cheese (Keftes de Espinaca con Queso):
Add 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Muenster, Swiss, Gouda, or Cheddar cheese; or 1/4 cup grated kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese.
Sephardic Spinach Patties with Walnuts (Keftes de Espinaca con Muez):
Substitute 1/2 to 1 cup finely chopped walnuts for the matza meal.
Italian Spinach Patties (Polpettine di Spinaci):
Add 3/4 cup raisins soaked in white wine for 30 minutes, then drained, and 3/4 cup toasted pine nuts.

Spinach Jewish Style image

Provided by Edda Servi Machlin

Yield Serves 6

Number Of Ingredients 9

3 pounds small-leaved bulk spinach
Salt
1/2 cup dark seedless raisins
1 cup lukewarm water
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 small onion, minced
1/4 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
Freshly ground black pepper
Dash nutmeg

Steps:

Remove the stems and roots from the spinach. Rinse in many changes of cold water until any trace of sand is removed. Place in a large pot with a pinch of salt and no water other than that retained from washing. Cook over moderately high heat, covered, for 5 minutes. Drain.
Soak the raisins in the lukewarm water for a couple of minutes, then drain.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet, add the onion and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent; add the raisins, pignoli, and small amounts of salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring, 1 minute. Add the spinach and nutmeg and sauté, stirring frequently, until the spinach looks dry and crisp.