serves 8-10
Ingredients
3lbs fresh spinach or 3 10-oz packages of frozen leaf spinach, thawed
5 Tbsps unsalted butter plus additional or greasing the pan
3/4 Cups finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 heaping tsp nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
4 lb butternut squash (2 medium or 1 very large), peeled, quartered, and seeded
1/4 C finely grated parmigiano, Reggiano
-if using fresh spinach, bring 1 inch o water to boil in a 6-8 qt pot. Add spinach a few handfuls at a time and cook turning with tongs till wilted. Drain in a colander
-if frozen spinach, thaw and drain excess liquid
Instructions
1. melt 3 tbsp butter in an 8’heavy skillet, saute onion and garlic till soft, and to spinach along with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cream, stir to combine.
2. preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 3 quart shallow baking dish (13″x 9″- not glass)
3. cut squash into 1/8″ thick slices. Layer with spinach mixture beginning and ending with squash. Use 1/5 squash per layer and 1/4 of the spinach. Top with cheese and dot with remaining 2 tbsp butter, then cover directly with a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper.
4.Bake till squash is tended and filling is bubbling, 25-35 minutes.
5. remove paper and bake gratin till browned, 10-15 minutes
*Gratin can be assembled, refrigerated for the night and baked later. Let warm for an hour at room temperature before baking.
Recipe adapted from Feet from Shore