If you had to point out one flaw in Cibo’s Spinaci Zola, it’s the serving size. No amount of rationing will make the dip, which comes in a teeny-tiny ramekin, enough for everyone at the table. Good thing it’s easy to make at home, and easier to make big batches of.
The appetizer gets its name from its two primary ingredients: spinach and gorgonzola. Both fresh and frozen spinach will work well with this recipe—the latter saves time by skipping the blanching step. If you can’t get your hands on gorgonzola, use any blue cheese in its place.
Bake the dip in small ramekins a la Cibo, or pour it all into one communal oven-safe dish. Serve at a party with crostini or nacho chips, then watch it disappear in seconds.
Ingredients
- ½ cup blanched spinach, chopped
- ¼ cup cooking cream
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup gorgonzola cheese
- ¼ cup grated mozzarella cheese, plus extra for garnish
- 1 tsp cane vinegar
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- crostini chips, for serving
Make dip: Melt butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add spinach and cook until soft and wilted. Add cream and water and let mixture boil for 2 minutes. Add the gorgonzola and mozzarella cheeses, stirring constantly until melted. Season with cane vinegar, garlic powder, and salt.
Blend dip: Remove pan from heat and transfer spinach mixture to the bowl of a food processor. Blend the spinach until smooth and paste-like in consistency, 1–2 minutes. At this point, you can store the dip in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Broil cheese topping: Divide the mixture between 2 ramekins. Top spinach mixture with extra grated mozzarella cheese. Bake in the oven under the broiler for 5–7 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and browned. Serve warm with crostini chips on the side.
