Spinach Parmesan Balls With Pears & Almonds
This is the subsequel of my other recipe, the spinach rolls. I still had half a bagful of fresh spinach left so this came to mind. Not only are the spinach balls full of healthy ingredients, they are also winsome to the kids. I also love the vividness of the color. As a trial, I didn't roll them on breadcrumbs or flour on purpose for fear that the color would evanesce. It wasn't really needed anyway because I didn't intend to fry them. I was satisfied to see that after staying in the oven for almost half an hour, the color remained the same. Well, just a tad less vibrant.
These balls are so easy to make. You just put everything in the food processor to chop finely, mix then bake them in the oven. Ok, I missed out on one part. You have to saute' the spinach first for about 10 minutes. I thought of this recipe as a side dish but it can also be served as an appetizer. It's an interesting mixture of subtle tastes put together. Yes, it's very good.
Spinach Parmesan Balls With Pears & Almonds
Ingredients:Makes 20 balls
- 250 g. fresh spinach
- 1/4 cup almonds
- 1 pear
- 1 egg
- 3/4 to 1 cup breadcrumbs (Try 3/4 cup first. If the mixture is not so compact because of the egg, add the remaining 1/4 cup.)
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg, grated or powder
- salt
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- extra virgin olive oil
- Sautè the spinach in a skillet with about a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil. The oil should just be enough to oil the whole skillet. Season with salt. Cook for 10 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes.
- In a food processor, put the cooked spinach, chopped pear & almonds.
- Transfer contents of the food processor to a mixing bowl. Add the parmesan, egg, breadcrumbs, nutmeg & a dash of salt.
4. Make the balls. Put them on a baking pan with wax paper to avoid sticking. Once on the baking pan, drizzle the balls with extra virgin olive oil. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes. Serve warm.
