Florentine Spinach

Description

 * 4 servings

Ingredients

 * 1 kg (2 1 lb) spinach
 * 100 g (3.5 oz) grated Parmesan cheese (Italian firm cheese made from cow's milk)
 * 200 g (7 oz) béchamel sauce (thick white sauce made with flour, butter and milk)
 * 10 g (¾ oz) butter
 * 3 tbsp olive oil
 * 2 garlic cloves
 * salt
 * freshly ground pepper

Directions

 * 1) Prepare, wash and drain the spinach and boil for 5 minutes without adding more water and with only a pinch of salt.
 * 2) Drain, squeeze and finely chop the spinach.
 * 3) Gently fry the garlic in a saucepan with oil for 3 minutes and then remove; add the finely chopped spinach, season with salt and pepper and simmer.
 * 4) In the meantime, stir the parmesan cheese in the béchamel sauce and blend half in with the spinach.
 * 5) Pour the mixture in a baking tin [baking pan] greased with butter and cover with the remaining béchamel sauce;.
 * 6) Bake in the oven at 200°C (400°F / gas mark 6) for 5 minutes, or until the surface is covered with a thin light golden brown crust.
 * 7) Serve the spinach without removing from the baking tin, as a side dish with egg and white meat dishes.