Spinach is a highly appreciated and used vegetable in the kitchen, popular above all because it is a great source of essential nutrients, in fact it is a natural resource of vitamins, including folic acid also known as vitamin B9, minerals, fiber and proteins. Given their properties they are also suitable for keeping fit because they are rich in water, fiber and low in calories.
Famous throughout the world is the sailor Popeye (Popeye), who is an avid eater and thanks to spinach he becomes strong and indestructible. This funny story was born as a marketing operation in the 1920s, to influence the consumption of spinach in the United States, and convince generations of parents that the high iron content would help children grow healthy and powerful. Which is not entirely true, in fact it seems that the iron in spinach is actually not so easily assimilated, and is retained only to a minimal extent by the body. To facilitate the absorption of iron it is therefore advisable to consume spinach seasoned with lemon, which helps its absorption at the intestinal level.
Another curiosity linked to spinach sees Catherine de' Medici as the protagonist, it is said that when she left Florence to marry the future king of France Henry II, she brought cooks and pastry chefs with her and among her entourage there were also cooks capable of cook spinach in different ways, vegetables that the sovereign loved so much. Since then, in classic French cuisine, there are various preparations accompanied by a side of spinach and are called " à la florentine ".
In any case, eating spinach is good for you and the kitchen uses it in many different preparations, both raw and cooked. The more tender leaves are excellent, to be eaten in salads, perhaps with walnuts, seasoned simply with EVO oil, salt and lemon juice, or blanched in boiling water and used in flans, soups, omelettes and as a condiment for pasta.
Also tasty sautéed in a pan for a tasty side dish, or as a filling for savory pies and egg pastas especially if combined with ricotta: tortelloni, cannelloni, crepes, ravioli and Pasqualina cake are just some examples of traditional preparations.
In short, the only limit is imagination and, in this regard, the historic Arpa Lieviti company which for over 50 years has handcrafted yeasts for sweets and savories, preparations for desserts and kitchen aids, has created dehydrated spinach powder, designed as an ingredient to combine with flour to give color and flavor to savory doughs. The powder, obtained simply by drying fresh spinach, is an excellent ingredient for making original lasagne, tagliatelle, gnocchi, tortelloni and ravioli, but also piadinas, pancakes, bread and focaccias... simply add Arpa Lieviti's spinach powder to the flour and proceed according to traditional recipes. Getting a good supply of Arpa Spinach Powder is very easy and now you know what to buy during your next shopping trip.