Sformato di Spinaci (Tuscan Spinach flans)- A Delightful Vegetarian Dish for Your Christmas Table

Photo credit Giulia Scaparleggia 

Whenever I host cooking classes and tastings on Tuscany and Central Italy at Cucinato, guests often ask me if  I ever miss living in Tuscany and away from my family. The first thing that come to mind is Christmas time. It’s a time when happy childhood memories are created, and I believe they remain so powerful because they often involve all senses: feeling the cold air (often bone chilling because of the notorious Tuscan winter humidity) during the trips to get the Christmas tree at a local nursery; the sight of shimmering lights that fill the pedestrian streets of city centres; the sound of the voices of distant family members who would call par fare gli auguri (to make wishes) and catch up. That was long before the hyper-connected times we live in today. 

My strongest memories though are connected to food, with the smell of slow cooking broth permeating the house from early morning on December 24^th to the exhilarating taste of sweets that would only be eaten on Christmas day! Sweets like Panforte - a spicy, dense, dried fruit cake recipe that goes back to the Tuscan Middle Ages, or the soft, slightly chewy almond cookies, Ricciarelli, which I now bake much more often than once a year!

The majority of Tuscan families celebrate Christmas with a never ending lunch on December 25 , while December 24 is typically reserved for preparations, getting together with family and friends, and attending the Midnight Christmas Eve mass. Tuscany is a very meat-heavy region and my family is no exception ... besides me. I've been a vegetarian for as long as I can remember, much to my parents’ dismay!

Thankfully, or perhaps in part because of my dietary choices, our family has always put contorni (vegetable side dishes) front and centre on the festive table. That is why I want to share with you this recipe for spinach flans, one of my favourites, as it uses seasonal ingredients but has a rich, decadent flavour thanks to the cheese fondue poured on just before serving. It can be prepared a day in advance and baked last minute, which comes in handy when pressed for time. My aunt Berta is still the queen of flans and she alternates spinach flans with fennel or artichoke flans, which are also excellent.

No matter what your Christmas menu is, enjoy this time with family and loved ones- and add more veggie contorni! 

Sformato di spinaci e ricotta- spinach and ricotta flan 

Serves 12 people  

Ingredients for sformati

• Spinach – 1.5 k  

• Ricotta – 600 g  

• Eggs - 4  

• Parmigiano grated – 30 g   

• Piave vecchio grated- 30 g  (or for stronger flavor substitute with aged pecorino)

• Butter – 20 g 

• Shallot 1 large or 2 small   

• Flour QB  

• Salt QB  

• Pepper QB 

• Nutmeg QB 

 To finish the sformati

• 120 g aged Piave DOP cheese, grated (or aged pecorino)
• 100 ml whole milk

Instructions  

1. Drain the ricotta in a colander for about 3 hours to remove excess water.   

2. Wash the spinach thoroughly   

3. Wilt it in a pan until it’s soft, then transfer it to a colander. Squeeze out the excess liquid and chop it.   

4. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.  

5. Melt butter in a pan at medium heat, and sauté the shallot till it’s translucent, then mix in the spinach and cook a few minutes more to incorporate the flavors  

6. Divide the eggs in two: whites in one bowl, yolks in another.  

7. In a mixing bowl, combine the yolk, ricotta, grated Parmigiano, a pinch of nutmeg and salt and pepper. Add the spinach and shallot and blend well with an immersion blender. 

8. Separately, whip the egg whites into hard peaks. Then fold them into the other ingredients.  

9. Line 12 three-inch ramekins with butter, and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Then add the batter to each and top with an additional sprinkle of breadcrumbs and Parmigiano. Alternatively, you can make a single bigger flan in a nice looking baking dish that you can bring at the table.

10. Bake for about 30 minutes until they have riser and slightly browned on top. If you insert a toothpick it should come out dry.  

11. Turn off the oven, leave the door slightly open, and let them sit for another 10 minutes before removing.  

12. In the meantime warm up the milk and mix in the grated piave with a whisk to obtain a smooth consistency.

13. Pour the warm crema al formaggio on each flan just before serving