The RICOTTA AND SPINACH CROQUETTES are tasty, soft little patties, ideal to offer with an aperitif, as a starter or even as a vegetarian main course if you wish. They are delicate bites, simple and quick to prepare, and really pleasant to enjoy, perhaps accompanied by a sauce like classic American ketchup or a very Italian melted Parmigiano or Pecorino fondue… They are an ideal recipe to propose vegetables, made a bit heartier, even to the pickiest kids, who you’ll see competing for these little patties.
I make these croquettes in a lighter version, baked in the oven without frying. They are really delicious because they form a crispy crust on the outside while remaining soft and delicate inside, allowing the spinach to release all its flavor and the ricotta to give its creaminess.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 15 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 10 croquettes
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 95.41 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 6.68 (g) of which sugars 1.37 (g)
- Proteins 6.03 (g)
- Fat 4.81 (g) of which saturated 2.96 (g)of which unsaturated 1.75 (g)
- Fibers 0.92 (g)
- Sodium 164.78 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 45 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 cup cow's milk ricotta
- 10.6 oz frozen spinach (about 3 cups once thawed and well squeezed)
- 1 egg (medium)
- 1.4 oz grated Parmesan (about 1/3 cup)
- 3 oz breadcrumbs (about 3/4 cup)
- to taste nutmeg
- to taste salt
Tools
- 1 Baking dish
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Pan
Steps
The preparation of the RICOTTA AND SPINACH CROQUETTES is very simple.
Place the spinach in the refrigerator the night before to let it thaw slowly. To speed things up you can also cook it in a pan from frozen without adding oil and, once thawed, season it. Then let it cool and squeeze it to remove all the water.
Place it on a cutting board and chop it with a knife.
In a bowl put the cow’s milk ricotta (better if fairly dry), the egg, salt and mix everything. Add the nutmeg (dose to taste), the spinach, the Parmesan, the breadcrumbs and mix everything. You should get a fairly firm mixture.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
After the resting time, take the mixture, make balls and flatten them slightly.
Place the ricotta and spinach croquettes in a lightly oiled baking dish, brush them with a little more oil and bake in a preheated conventional (non-convection) oven at 374°F for 25 minutes.
If you want a crispier crust, switch the oven to convection (fan) mode for the last 5 minutes.
Plate and enjoy these simple, soft and tasty ricotta and spinach croquettes served with a salad and some dipping sauces.
VARIATION
Once baked you can dip them in a simple sauce made with fresh tomatoes and basil. They will be even more flavorful.
