Fresh spinach
A high-water-content leafy green that wilts dramatically and releases moisture when baked; pre-wilting and draining it, the same fix used for mushrooms, is standard practice to avoid a soggy base.
- Salt
- low
- Fat
- low
- Sweetness
- low
- Acidity
- low
- Heat
- none
- Moisture
- high
- Umami
- low
- Cooking requirement
- pre cooked recommended
Preparation
Best wilted (briefly sautéed or blanched) and squeezed dry before topping; if used raw it should be spread in a thin, even layer, since raw leaves collapse to a fraction of their volume and release substantial water as they wilt in the oven
A generous raw pile reduces dramatically once wilted — thin, even coverage avoids both an overwhelming raw mound before baking and a soggy, water-logged result after
Applied before baking.
Cautions
- unwilted, undrained spinach releases enough water during baking to soak the base — the same failure mode as raw mushrooms
Pairs well with
- Roasted garlic
Explicitly noted as a good balance for Fresh spinach.
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Adds textural contrast against Fresh spinach.
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Adds textural contrast against Fresh spinach.
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Adds textural contrast against Fresh spinach.