Spinach Salad

Name: Spinach Salad
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 4 ounces bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces; 2 cups sliced button mushrooms; 9-ounce bag fresh baby spinach; 1/4 cup white-wine vinegar; 1/4 cup grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano

December 14, 2011

As a child, I had salads in the winter that Nonna Rosa would dress with the flavorful fat rendered from pancetta or prosciutto scraps and a splash of homemade vinegar. The greens were always the tougher winter kinds, like chicory or escarole, and sometimes she even added slices of boiled potatoes, still warm. So, when I had my first spinach salad in America dressed with warm bacon pieces, I assumed my grandma’s salad made with spinach was the American/Italian way.

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