Mushrooms Stuffed with Ricotta and Spinach [vegetarian]

When I was making Mushrooms Stuffed with Ricotta and Pesto some time ago, I thought I could try to make them with another stuffing. This time I wanted to make a lunch dish and used big Portobello mushrooms, one per person. When it came to choosing a filling, I decided to check how ingredients that I normally use for spinach gnocchi would work, I only omitted flour and egg that help the gnocchi keep their shape.

Everything worked very well together and we ended up with a delicious, light but satisfying summer lunch that I know could also be used a starter for a lunch or dinner party.

INGREDIENTS (for 4 portions):

250g fresh spinach, washed and dried,

2 garlic cloves, crushed or thinly cut,

250g ricotta cheese,

50g grated Parmesan cheese,

a big handful of basil leaves,

4 big mushrooms (e.g. Portobello), each weighing approx. 100g, washed and pat dried,

salt and pepper,

a drop of oil for greasing.

METHOD:

1. Put the spinach in a big non-stick frying pan and fry it, stirring it until it is wilted and the water evaporates; half way through the cooking, add the garlic.
2. When the spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze the water out.
3. Cut the spinach and the basil thinly.
4. Preheat a fan oven to 180 Celsius degrees.
5. Grease an ovenproof dish.
6. Put the ricotta cheese to a bowl, add half of the Parmesan, spinach and basil, stir, check the taste and season with salt and pepper.
7. Stuff each mushroom with a quarter of the ricotta and spinach filling, put to the prepared dish and sprinkle with the rest of Parmesan.
8. Bake in the hot oven for 30 minutes.
9. Serve with a salad.