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Baby Spinach Salad With Dates and Almonds

5.0(949)

Sumac, a tart, deep-red spice, is a key ingredient for this recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi, which was featured in a Times article about his cookbook with Sami Tamimi, “Jerusalem.” Procuring the spice may be the most challenging thing about this refreshing, well-balanced salad. The pita and almonds are cooked for a few minutes on the stovetop, but that is the only heat required. As for the sumac, it can be found at Middle Eastern groceries, in a well-stocked spice aisle or, as always, online.

by Julia Moskin

Open original recipe

Middle EasternEasy

Servings

(4–6)

Total time

30 min

Calories / serving

232 kcal

Ingredients (12)

serves

1 tablespoon wine vinegarvinegar
1/2 medium red onion, thinly slicedred-onion
3 1/2 ounces dates (100 grams), preferably Medjool, pitted and quartered lengthwisedate
Saltsalt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 grams)butter
2 tablespoons olive oil, dividedolive-oil
2 small pitas (about 3 1/2 ounces, or 100 grams), roughly torn into 1 1/2 -inch piecespita
1/2 cup whole unsalted almonds (75 grams), coarsely choppedalmond
2 teaspoons sumacsumac
1/2 teaspoon chile flakes
5 to 6 ounces baby spinach leaves (150 grams)spinach
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions (3 steps)

01Put vinegar, onion and dates in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and mix well with your hands. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes, then drain any residual vinegar and discard.
02Meanwhile, heat butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add pita and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring all the time, until pita is golden. Add almonds and continue cooking until pita is crunchy and browned and almonds are toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and mix in sumac, chile flakes and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside to cool.