Creamy Indian spinach in a bread bowl…
There is very little not to love about this creamy Indian spinach recipe. It’s a creamy, cheesy, mildly-spiced spinach mixture served up in a big loaf of bread! It is a simple, yet somehow deliciously impressive offering that can be eaten as a starter, as a side, or as a wonderful warm dip.
If you happen to be avoiding bread, like me, you can make it without the loaf. Just cook the ingredients in a ceramic pot, with a lid, instead of the bread. Other adaptations include adding in some cooked, diced new potatoes before it goes in the oven. Or using it as a filling in some rough puff pastry, and turning it into a spicy, vegetarian ‘sausage roll’.
If I am making it without the loaf bowl, I tend to leave the spinach leaves whole. I think it looks more attractive that way, and it is easier to eat with a fork! If you are wondering what to do with the leftover doughy bits of bread, here is a link to a delicious Jamie Oliver recipe for an Italian bread salad – Panzanella Waste not, want not..!
Preparation time 20 minutes
Cooking time 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2.2lbs) frozen spinach, chopped
- 1 large loaf of artisan bread
- 1 onion finely diced
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 100g (3.5oz) Philadelphia cream cheese
- 1 150g packet Boursin garlic & herbs
- 1 190g jar red pesto
- 100g (3.5oz) grated Parmesan
- Oil for frying
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 cardamom pods
- 1/2 tsp easy chili
Method:
For the filling
- Allow spinach to defrost, squeeze out the excess water and chop roughly
- Heat the oil in a pan and add the spices – fry for 1 minute
- Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent
- Add the drained, chopped spinach
- Add the mayonnaise, red pesto, tomato paste & chili and cook for 5 minutes
- Add the Philadelphia & Boursin and warm, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn
- Add the Parmesan and remove from heat
For the bread bowl
- Slice the top of the circular loaf off, keeping it to use later
- Pull out the doughy contents of the loaf leaving just the thick crust to use as a bowl
- Fill the bread bowl with the spinach mixture and replace the top forming a lid
- Wrap in foil and cook in the centre of the oven at 180C for 40 mins
To serve
- Remove bread lid and use a serrated knife to make vertical cuts at 1″ (2.5cm) intervals all the way round the top of the loaf, creating a tear and share
- Serve with crusty bread, poppadoms, or crudités if you are avoiding carbs
Enjoy…! And don’t forget to check out my post on 5 Essential pantry ingredients
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