spinach salad

In the hamlet of Maggiana on Lake Como, Gabriele Lafranconi runs an osteria called Sali e Tabacchi. He enjoys this salad because ‘although it is simple, it combines a balance of elements: the minerality of the spinach, the acidity of the apple and vinegar, the saltiness of the cheese and the fat of the nuts and oil’. As the crow fl ies, his town of Mandello del Lario is not very far from the Alpine ski resort of St Moritz, but it has a warmer micro-climate than might be expected, and all of the ingredients here are from his home or nearby producers: ‘In our garden, among our olive trees, we have a beautiful pomegranate tree that every year gives us a lot of fruit, and oil, apples, walnuts and honey come from producers here on our doorstep.’ All these, in a small town to the north of Milan.

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Step 1

Peel, core and cut the apple into slices. Squeeze lemon juice over the slices to prevent them from browning.

Step 2

Put the spinach in a bowl, dress it with oil and vinegar and season with salt to taste. Scatter the walnuts, pomegranate seeds and cheese over the spinach leaves. Drain the lemon juice from the apple slices and add them to the bowl. Drizzle over some honey and serve with some good bread.