Spinach Croquettes

Spinach croquettes are a delicious dish and can be a great way to make vegetables appealing even to those who usually avoid them. Here is an Italian version of the dish.

Ingredients

• 500 g of fresh or frozen spinach
• 2 eggs
• 80 g of grated cheese (Parmesan or Pecorino)
• 100 g of breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• Nutmeg (to taste)
• Salt and pepper as needed
• Oil for frying

Preparation

1. If you’re using fresh spinach, wash it thoroughly and cook it in a pot with a little water for about 5-10 minutes. If you’re using frozen spinach, follow the instructions on the package for thawing and cooking.
2. Once cooked, squeeze the spinach to remove excess water and chop finely with a knife or by using a food processor.
3. In a large bowl, mix the chopped spinach with the eggs, grated cheese, a pinch of salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste to flavor the mixture.
4. Add the flour and mix all the ingredients well until you have a homogeneous mixture. If the mixture is too wet, you can add a little more flour.
5. With damp hands, take some of the mixture and shape into oval croquettes or balls.
6. Roll each croquette in breadcrumbs until well coated and shake off the excess.
7. Heat a generous amount of oil in a pan and once it has reached the ideal temperature, fry the croquettes until they become golden and crispy.
8. Drain the croquettes on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Serve the spinach croquettes hot; they can be accompanied by a light yogurt-based sauce or simply with a sprinkling of extra Parmesan.

Curiosity

Spinach croquettes are a versatile way to consume vegetables; you can enrich them with other types of cheese, add speck or cooked ham to the mixture for a tastier variant, or serve them as an appetizer or side dish in a buffet.