Zucchini and Parmesan Muffins

Recipe from 100 Favourite Muffins and Slices
Images by Yasmin

This is a really scrumptious and filling savoury bite of goodness. The different types of cheese just take this muffin to a whole new dimention! I really enjoy eating these muffins because I can have the satisfaction of eating something delicious without feeling guilty about eating something sweet and unhealthy.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups standard (plain) flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup grated tasty cheese
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 3 zucchini, grated (250g altogether)

Method:
Heat oven to 200'C fanbake, with the rack just below the middle.

Sift or fork together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Grind in black pepper to taste, then add the grated cheeses and stir to combine.

Break the eggs into another large bowl, add the milk and whisk together with a fork, then add the grated unpeeled zucchini.

Tip the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture, then carefully fold everything together, taking care not to overmix. As soon as all the flour is moistened, spoon the mixture  into 12 lightly buttered or non-stick sprayed regular muffin pans or 24 mini muffin pans.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are golden and the muffins spring back when pressed in the centre.

Enchiladas

Recipe and Images by Yasmin
I LOVE enchiladas because they have a great flavour and can have a soft or crunchy texture depending on which enchilada you take; the one at the top (most exposure to heat from oven) or the bottom (least exposure to oven heat). Since my mum has been in Melbourne for a week, I have been the designated cook, meaning I have had more practice at savoury main meals! This was one of the first recipes for the week. I will post the other recipes shortly.
Makes approx. 8

Ingredients:

• 500 - 600g beef mince
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 - 3 cloves of garlic, diced
• 1/4 tsp crushed chili, from jar
• 1/2 cup carrot, finely chopped
• 1/2 zucchini, grated
• tin red kidney beans, well drained
• approx 8 flat bread wraps

Method:
Brown the mince in frying pan with 1-2 tsp of oil. Strain and rinse thoroughly. Lightly rinse fry pan. Add 1 tsp of oil to frying pan and cook diced onion, garlic and chili until onion turns a foggy white. Add carrot and zucchini, cooking until carrot is softened. Add browned mince, stirring thoroughly. Lastly, add the red kidney beans and mix well. Put the lid on the fry pan and allow to cook for a few minutes.

While the filling is cooking, lay out the wraps - ready to roll. Place a couple of spoonfuls of cooked mixture 3-5 cm from the end of one wrap. Roll the wrap into a enchilada and place in a greased casserole dish. Continue rolling enchiladas until all of the filling has been used - stacking the enchiladas in rows on top of each other in the casserole dish. Cook for 20 minutes at 180'C.

Serve the enchiladas with sour cream and guacamole.

To make guacamole, mash 2 avocados, 1 onion (diced), a pinch of salt and 3 tsp of tomato sauce into a paste. Serve sour cream and guacamole with a garden salad as sides to the enchiladas.

Pasta with potato, beans and pesto

Recipe from Perfect PastaImages by Yasmin

Use the recipe for making pasta/fettuccine previously to enable this dish to be created. In this post I will show you one way to serve your homemade pasta. This recipe is vegi-licious! No meat required.

Ingredients:

• 600g small new potatoes, halved or quartered
• 250g broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1/2 cup  shelled broad beans, peeled or 350-400g in pods
• 175g fine green beens, topped and tailed
• 2 zucchini, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 300g fettuccine or tubular and hollow pasta shapes (homemade)
• sprigs of fresh basil to garnish

For Pesto:

• 3-5 cloves garlic, coarsley chopped
• 2 tblsp pine nuts
• 100g fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parnesan
• 2 tblsp olive oil
• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
• salt

Method:
Cook the potatoes in boiling water for about 15 minutes or until they are tender but not soft. Add the broccoli, broad bean, green beans and zucchini, simmer together for a further 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the homemade pasta in boiling water for 2-4 minutes or until al dente. If not using homemade pasta, cook in boiling water for 10-15 minutes.

Make the pesto while the vegetbles and pasta are cooking. Using a food processor, add all ingredients except for the oil and whiz to paste. Gradually add the oil through the feed tube with the motor running.
Drain the pasta and vetgetables  and toss both together. Top with the pesto, garnish with sprigs of basil, scattering them over the top. Serve immediately.

Homemade Pasta

Recipe and Images by Yasmin

For my birthday last year I received a pasta machine!!! However, these holidays have been the only opportunity thus far to use the machine and make my very own fettuccine!!! As a first timer, my first tip is to give yourself PLENTY of time before the designated dinner time to prepare the meal. My second tip is to prepare pasta with another person, I find that it is helpful to have two sets of hands rather than one. My third tip is two lightly flour both sides of the rolled out pasta before putting it through the part of the machine which cuts the pasta. This ensures that the pasta won't become stuck in the machine and bunch up when coming out because it is stuck to the sides. Taking all of these tips into account when making pasta is VERY helpful. Upon my second attempt this holiday at making pasta I produced the perfect fettuccine! My friend and I were dancing around the house we were so excited!!! The fettuccine we produced was picture perfect! Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of the pasta before cooking it; however, the first time I made pasta I did take photos before cooking it. This means you will see the not so perfect first attempt at pasta rather than the picture perfect pasta, but it all tastes good anyway! I hope you are all successful in your attempts at making pasta. The best part about pasta is that you can add anything to it to serve. However, before I teach you how to make a meal out of pasta, I will devote this post to mearly teaching you how to prepare and cook plain fettuccine. Enjoy!

Before beginning the Recipe I would like to type out an excert from my new pasta recipe book which explains the ingredients.

Flour Special flour for making pasta may be 100% durum wheat semolina, such as an aithentic Italian flour called doppio zero (double zero). Other types may be a combination of durum wheat semolina and ordinary flour. Alternatively, use unbleached strong (bread) plain flour or plain wholemeal flour, or a mixture of unbleached strong plain flour and buckwheat  or rice flour. A small portion of soya flour will boost the protein content of the pasta.

Eggs Although much commercial pasta is made with just flour and water, most homemade pasta includes eggs. Standard medium eggs are ideal.

Oil Olive oil is authentic. Since the amount used is small, it Will not have a great impact on the fat content of a dish.
Salt fine sea salt offers the best flavour.



Fettuccine

Ingredients:

• 500g bakers flour
• 4 eggs or 320ml of water

Method:
The basic recipe per person is: approx. 125g of wheat flour and 1 egg (at room temperature). For 4 people, this equates to 500g of wheat flour and 4 eggs. Water can also be used in place of eggs. 1 egg = approx. 80 ml of water. For this particular recipe do not add any salt.

Pour the flour into a bowl and add the eggs/water into the middle of the flour. Mix the eggs with a fork until they are completely blended with the flour. Knead the mixture with your hands until it is completely homogenous and consistent. If the mixture is too dry add some water. If the mixture is to moist or soft and some flour. Remove the mixture from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured table. Cut the piece of dough into smaller and more manageable sized chunks before putting it through the pasta machine.

If you don't own a pasta machine simply roll the dough with a rolling pin and cut it into long thin strips of pasta.

When using the pasta machine, simply feed it through the rolling end a few times to ensure it is thin and smooth (with no holes or bubbles). Then lightly flour it both sides before feeding it through the cutting blades. This ensures the perfect slices of fettuccine. Repeat this step until all of the dough has been used.

Boil water in a big saucepan. Once the water has come to the boil, add the fettuccine. Cook the fettuccine on high for 2-4 minutes. Drain the fettuccine and place in a bowl for flavouring which will be found in the next post.

Vegetable Pie

Recipe and Images by Yasmin

This is a delicious and healthy dish for dinner or lunch; a boxing day delight! Although the many vegies, this pie is sweet in some sections because of the sultanas which give the dish a nice sweet kick! I would recommend this pie to anyone, as my family knows - I love pies!!!

Ingredients:

• 2 sheets puff pastry
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
•  1/2 cups sultanas
• 3 tsp curry powder
• 2 medium carrots grated
• 1 onion grated
• 1 stalk of celery, chopped
• 125g grated cheese
• 2 cups broccoli
• egg for glazing
• seasame seeds

Method:
Line pie tin with sheet of pastry. Combine  remaining ingredients and place in pie shell. Cover with pastry and bake in moderate oven until golden.

Home Made Sushi

Recipe and Images by Yasmin

I LOVE SUSHI! It is delicious! I could survive on sushi if I had to I love it that much. This is my own version of sushi. The best thing about sushi is the filling options are endless! I usually slice carrot, cucumber, avocado and ham to fill the centre of the sushi roll, but this time my sister enlightened me to the idea of an omlette filling, which is equally as yummy! When making sushi it is best to have a sushi mat to make rolling the sushi easier.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Sushi rice
• 1-2 packets of Nori Paper
• Cooked Omlette

Method:
Cook Sushi rice via instructions on the packet. Allow to cool completely. Put Nori paper on sushi mat and place 3-4 tablespoons of cooked rice along the width of the nori paper, 3cm in from the top of the nori to allow room to roll. Place thin strips of omlette on top of the rice. Roll the sushi. Slightly wet the end of the nori paper to stick to the rest of the roll. Slice into sushi pieces. Continue this process until all of the sushi rice has been used. Serve with soy sauce.

Zucchini Slice/Pie

Recipe and Images by Yasmin

This is a delicious snack or meal to serve. We ate this on Boxing Day 2011 with a group of friends along with many other small dishes which I will post at a later date. This slice is also great for pic-nics. Yum Yum!!!

Ingredients:

• 4 large zucchini
• 1 large onion
• 4 bacon rashers
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 cup SR Flour
• 1/4 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Method:
Grate unpeeled zucchini, chop onion finely, chop bacon. Combine ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into greased flan or slice tin. Bake for 30-40 minutes in moderate oven.

Zucchini, Cheese and Chorizo Twist

Recipe from Recipes magazine
Images by Yasmin

This is a truely scrumptious dinner! It's texture is similar to rizotto, but in pastry! This meal is perfect for taking a plate or dinner over to someone's house to share, it is really big and very filling. Dig in!

Ingredients:

• 3 large zucchini
• 2 tblsp vegetable or olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup cooked long-grain white rice
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
• 2 sheets of frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed
• 100g packet of chorizo slices, or 1 chorizo sliced
• 3-4 hard boiled eggs, peeled, halved
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 tsp sesame seeds

                                                                         (Uncooked)                                                                       

                                                                          (Cooked)

Method:

Preheat oven to 180'C fan forced. Grease and line a large baking tray with baking paper. Coarsely grate zucchini; using hands, squeeze out excess liquid. Heat oil in large frying pan over moderate heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir mixture for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add zucchini; cook for 2-3 minutes or until zucchini begins to wilt. Drain excess liquid. Cool to room temperature. Add rice, cheese and chives. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well.

Place pastry on prepared tray. Allow the ends to overlap for approximately 4cm (this will make the dinner longer to hold all of the filling).  Gently press pastry together to seal. Arrange chorizo slices in centre of pastry, leaving a 7-8cm boarder. Spread half of the zucchini mixture over chorizo, top with hard boiled eggs, then remaining zucchini mixture.

Using a sharp knife, make cuts at 2cm intervals in the pastry surrounding the filling. Bring ends up to enclose filling and bring alternating strips up over filling to enclose. Brush with egg, sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden. Remove tray from oven. Stand for 5 minutes. Slice to serve.

Post Competition

Hello everyone!

I would just like to inform everyone about the recipe sharing that is happening on Taste of Pearl City. It is an 'Anyone Can Cook' competition which ends this friday. It is a really great way to share you simple and quick recipes with everyone and gather some great ideas too! All you have to do is go to this website: http://tasteofpearlcity.blogspot.com/ and follow the linking process. It is really simple and fun! I hope you get the chance to look and enter! There are some prizes too! I have already entered the following recipes:

Coconut Loaf with Passionfruit Sauce










Scrolls










Incredible Pie












Pasties












These are some of my favourites!!! I hope you share your simple and quick favourites as well!

Cheers,
Yasmin

Pasties

Recipe and Images from Yasmin

This is a very simple dinner to prepare when live is hectic and there are many busy and late nights. This is a meal perfect for when you don't feel like making something that takes a while to develop a great flavour, is filling and healthy. If there are any left over puff pastry sheets to fill with the meat filling, simple sweet pasties can be prepared as well. The list of fillings possible for this pastry design is endless, so have a go at mixing your favourite sweet and savoury flavours to produce something simply delicious. If serving this meal as a dinner, be sure to serve with a beautiful garden salad. I apologise in advance for this inartistic photo of the meal, we were in a hurry to eat and I couldn't prepare a decent setting for the meal. It is eaten so quickly it is hard to capture it on camera!!!

(cooked savoury pastie)

Ingredients:

For Savoury:

• 1-2 carrot
• 1-2 zucchini
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 potato
• 1 cup green beans
• 1 cup corn kernells
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 300-500g minced beef 

For Sweet:

•  2 -3 dessert spoons of jam
• 1 apple, thinly sliced and cored
• 1 cup dried fruit (of choice)
• 1/2 cup coconut 

 (Uncooked Sweet Pastie)

Method:

Take frozen puff pastry sheets out of freezer and separate, allowing to defrost on the bench.

While pastry is defrosting, prepare savoury filling. Into a large bowl, grate carrot, zucchini, sweet potato, potato, beans and corn. Add partially defrosted minced meat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Using bare hands, thoroughly combine the savoury filling. 

Using a sharp knife, divide the mostly defrosted pastry diagonally, to create two triangles. Place a small handful of the uncooked mixture in one end of a triangle piece of pastry. Mold this to fit into the triangle shape, leaving about 1-2cm room around the edges to allow room to fold the pastry. Grab the other corner of the triangle and drag it over the filling to match the triangle shape, this is symmetrical. Press down on the folded pastry to seal the triangle shape pastie. Fold over the edges of the triangle and press again to secure (this should make sure that the pastie won't open and the contents spill). Lastly, twist the ends of the triangle, as it is just excess pastry.

Continue until all filling is used. As each pastie is made, place it on an oven tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Cook for 20-30 minutes on 180'C fan-forced.

If there is leftover pastry either cut it into triangles, as done for the savoury pasties, or leave it as a square to then fold into a rectangle (as shown in picture). Prepare a sweet filling. Smooth jam over pastry. Cover with coconut, thinly sliced apple, currants, sultanas, dried apricots and/or dates. Fold symetrically, using the same method as before, whether it is a triangle or rectangle, except, for the rectangle, cut a few slits in the sides (as shown in the photo).

Cook for 20-30 minutes at 180'C fan-forced.

Zucchini, Ham and Cheese Cups

Recipe from Recipes+
Photos by Yasmin

This is a very unique and clever idea. Essentially this recipe is just another form of mini quiche; however, instead of using pastry to hold the filling, you use ham! I didn't have enough ham for all the mixture this recipe makes so I used pastry cups as well as ham cups. This is the first of my real Easter recipes I'm posting, not because it looks like anything to do with Easter, but because on Easter my family shares a big and beautiful BBQ breakfast which will include this savoury snack. In this way it is linked to Easter. Feel free to share with me what you do on Easter. Do you have a nice breakfast too, or perhaps a special dinner, but more importantly what do you eat while enjoying you family or friend's company? I wish everyone a very happy Easter. Alleluia!
TIP: For something a little different, use pancetta or salami instead of ham or pastry. Also, to make this snack healthier, add other vegetables as well, such as grated carrot or thinly diced capsicum.

(Left side is ham, Right side is pastry)

Ingredients:

• 24 (200g) slices shaved leg ham (or pastry)
• 2 large zucchini
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup cream (I used skim milk instead)
• 2/3 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 4 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved (or normal sized tomatoes cut into small slices)
• Mixed salad, to serve

Method:
Preheat oven to 160'C fan forced. Grease a 12 hole mini quiche tray (more if needed). Line each hole with 2-3 overlapping slices of ham to shape the nests. Coarsely grate zucchini; using hands, squeeze out excess liquid.

Whisk eggs and cream in a medium sized bowl. Stir in zucchini and cheese. Spoon mixture into prepared holes. Top with tomato. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked. Remove from oven. Stand for 5 minutes. Serve with salad.

Scrolls

Recipe and photos by Yasmin

Scrolls are a brilliant invention. It is the simplest of recipes; needing only two ingredients and a constant ratio of 1:2 - 1cup of buttermilk to 2cups of Self Raising Flour. From this you can be as creative or subtle as intented; however, the result is undyingly satisfying. I have made this snack or lunch many times before today, yet today is somewhat special because I am sharing a memorable cooking experience with a longtime friend. A caring primary school friend visited and we prepared this dish, alongside many others, as we prepared a feast to celebrate the end of Lenten fasting. As a beginner we made scrolls, followed by the main meal of Chicken and Corn Pie, and finishing with afternoon tea of Apple and Cinnamon Cake and lastly dessert being Incredible Pie. This was a VERY filling and enjoyable experience - as every cooking session should be. I regard my kitchen and cookbook as an old friend as I embrace the task ahead, rather than some people today who believe cooking is a burden and a nuisance. I hope you enjoy the first of many recipes being posted after my Lenten break. It is both sweet and savoury - a perfect balance to start.

Ingredients:

• Buttermilk (a carton)
• Self Raising Flour
• Fillings of choice

Filling Combinations:
Sweet:

• Plum Jam, shredded coconut, shredded apple and sultanas (as featured in photo)
• Shredded apple, cinnamon and sugar
• Nutella and choc chips
• Apricot jam, diced apricots and shredded coconut
• Strawberry Jam and mixed dried fruit
• White chocolate and passionfruit pulp
• Honey and sliced banana

Savoury:

• Vegimite and cheese
• Shredded ham, cheese and pineapple
• Salami, ham and cheese
• Semi-dried tomatoes, low fat feta cheese, ham, salami and cheese

Method:
In a bowl, combine 1 cup of buttermilk and 2 cups of flour with a fork until a soft dough forms. Flour a mat and rolling pin and roll out the dough until 1-2cm thick. Spread with a filling of your choice, sweet or savoury. Pick up pastry from one end and roll it up to the other (as shown in the photo above). Once the dough is now one big scroll, use a sharp knife to cut the scroll into 2-3cm slices. Place these lying flat on a non-stick baking tray as you cut (as shown in the photo below). Cook in an oven at 180'C fan-forced 4 for 20-25 minutes. Once cooled a little, serve.

This process can be repeated until all of the buttermilk is used. It makes approximately 2 1/2 batches. For the half batch make sure the measurements maintain that ratio of 1:2, in this case it will be 1/2:1. If you don't simplify the ratio evenly, then the dough will either be too sloppy or too hard.

Stir Fry with Fried Rice

Recipe by Louise and Yasmin
Images by Yasmin

Usually I am not fond of Stir Fry for dinner as it is a frequent dish at my house for dinner; however, this time was different and special because it was my first, actually solo made, dinner! I was very proud of myself. I have made many dinners before - mostly spagbol or pasties - but someone has always been hovering around to give me some pointers or tell me what to do next. As a result, this is a very basic, but delicious, version of Stir Fry made our family way. I hope you all enjoy it!

Ingredients:

• 3 tblsp olive oil
• 1tsp chili paste
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• steak, cut into small chunks
• variety of vegetables (carrot, capsicum, cucumber, bok choy etc), cut into small chunks, soaked in water, drained
• 2 tblsp fish sauce, extra for taste if needed
• 3 tblsp oyster sauce
• 3 - 4 tblsp water
• Fried Rice, to serve (for recipe see Fried Rice post)

Method:

Heat 2 tblsp oil in a frying pan. Add chili paste, garlic paste and steak to pan and stir (watch out for spitting oil). Lightly brown meat until just turning brown (still some pink on the meat). Remove from pan and set aside on a plate. Wipe pan with paper towel. Heat pan again with 1 tblsp of oil. Add drained vegetables. Stir fry vegetables (keep tossing the vegetables) with fish sauce and oyster sauce until the vegetables are just soft. Return meat to pan (it usually is almost overflowing at this point!). Add water. Stir fry with lid on until vegetables are soft and meat is no longer pink. Add extra fish sauce to taste if needed. Serve with hot fried rice.

Curry Egg Halves

Recipe and Images from Yasmin

I really enjoy making this little extra side dish when helping prepare our weekly family BBQ. This dish would take under 10 minutes to cook, prepare and serve. I love the different textures of egg and paste, combined with the different herbs and spices. A truly wonderful and fun, extra dish to serve.

Ingredients:

• eggs (as many as needed - half the quantity of the quests)
• mayonnaise (enough to make a smooth paste)
• 2-3 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 onion, diced
• chopped herbs (usually chives or parsley) (optional)
• pinch of salt (if needed)
• iceberg lettuce leaves to decorate (optional)
• paprika (to dust)

Method:
Hard boil eggs in a medium or large pot. When cooked, cool in cold water. Shell the eggs. On a cutting board, cut the eggs in half. Scoop the hard yolk into a bowl. Add about 2 tblsp mayonnaise and mash with the back of a fork. Add enough mayonnaise to make a smooth paste. Do not make the paste runny. Add the diced onion, cut herbs, curry powder and salt. Combine with fork. On the serving plate lay out the lettuce and position the egg halves. Spoon in the yolk paste, enough to overfill the eggs (there may be some left over). Dust with paprika. Serve as a side for dinner.

Mango Chicken Leaves

Recipe from Helen Gilmore


This is one of the many beautiful and exotic entrees that I was served when I visited some family friends. My family was treated like royalty and were showered with many delicate, little masterpieces before lunch. This is one of those pieces. It is so simple and easy to prepare, as well as being healthy too!

Ingredients:

• Chicken, cooked, cooled, cut into strips
• Cos lettuce leaves
• 1-2 tsp curry powder
• mango, chopped in small cubes
• 2-4 tspmango chutney
• 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt
• paprika, to dust

Method:
Place small lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Spoon about 1 tblsp of mango cubes onto lettuce leaf. Place cooked chicken strip on top of mango base. In a bowl, combine Greek yoghurt, curry powder, and mango chutney. Spoon mixture in tblsps on to the chicken. Dust lightly with paprika. Serve as an entree.

Zucchini Slice

Recipe from Karen and Yasmin

I love making zucchini slice for picnics or family lunches. My Aunty and I made this slice to share on Christmas Eve for a late lunch - very special and very tasty! For picnics this dish can be prepared in a slice dish and sliced to serve or it can be poured into individual quiche pans or cupcake pans - easy finger food but still yummy! However you serve it, this dish is meant to be shared and gobbled.

Ingredients:

• 5 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup flour
• 4 small or 3 medium zucchini
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 cup cheese, grated
• 4 bacon rashers, remove fat, chunky square slices

Method:
Whisk eggs and oil in a large bowl. In a seperate large bowl combine all other ingredients. Add to the egg mixture. Mix well. Pour into a sprayed pie, slice or 12 cupcake pan dish. Bake in a moderate oven (150'C fan-forced) for approximately one hour. Serve hot or cold for lunch.

Spinach, Garlic and Fetta Dip

Recipe and Image from Coles

(makes 2 cups)

This combination of flavours is spectacular! All of the ingredients compliment one another; producing a wonderful dip.

Ingredients:

• 1 clove garlic
• 150g baby spinach leaves
• 200g fetta, crumbed
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• focaccia, to serve
• 1 tsp oil, for drizzling, optional

Method:
Bring a large saucepan of water to oil. Add garlic and simmer for 1 minute. Add spinach and blanch for 1 minute, until wilted. Drain spinach again, squeezing out excess water. Roughly chop. Place spinach and garlic in a bowl with remaining ingredients. Mix well. Drizzle with oil, if using. Serve with focaccia.