This Florentine recipe from FUA-Apicius students and faculty is ideal for breakfast and lunch. It is also great for beginners as the poached egg and Balsamella* sauce can be reutilized in a variety of other dishes.

*Balsamella is the Tuscan name for Bechamel sauce and one of the five mother sauces. For this recipe, the Tuscan name is used according to the Artusi’s Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well. Although the recipe mentions the use of potato bread, any bread works with the dish.

Ingredients

spinach 100g

eggs 2

garlic 1

evoo to taste

salt to taste

vinegar

see below for balsamella sauce

Method

Soak spinach in salt water. Squeeze the water out of the spinach and stir-fry it with garlic in olive oil. Prepare water in a deep pot, add some vinegar, and then add egg to make poached egg.

Balsamella* di pecorino sauce ingredients

butter 15g

flour 50gr

milk 250ml

nutmeg to taste, grated

pecorino 40g, grated

salt and pepper to taste

Method

Dissolve the butter in a pan and stir-fry the flour gently to make a white roux. Heat milk and slowly mix with the roux to form a béchamel. Flavor and complete the sauce by adding nutmeg, pecorino cheese, and salt.

To finish

Lay a slice of potato bread on the plate, put spinach and poached eggs on top, and finish with the sauce. A deep rather than flat plate is ideal.

We hope you enjoy this delicious recipe. Make sure to give it your own twist and try to make new dishes with the knowledge gained from this one.