Yotam Ottolenghi‘s Baby Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds

Ingredients

1 tbsp	white wine vinegar
1	medium red onion, thinly sliced
100g	pitted Medjool dates, quartered lengthways
30g	unsalted butter
2 tbsp	olive oil
2	small pitas, about 100g, roughly torn into 4cm pieces
75g	whole unsalted almonds, roughly chopped
2 tsp	sumac
60g	Pine nuts, roasted
150g	baby spinach leaves, washed
2 tbsp	lemon juice

1/2 pack

cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Method:

Put the 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.

Meanwhile, heat the butter and half the olive oil in a medium frying pan. Add the pita and fry and cook them on a medium heat for 4–6 minutes, stirring all the time, until the pita is crunchy and golden brown. Fry the almonds and pine nuts. Once roasted, add to pita bread and mix in the sumac and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Set aside to cool.

When you are ready to serve, toss the spinach leaves with the pita mix in a large mixing bowl. Add the dates and red onion, cherry tomato remaining olive oil, lemon juice and another pinch of salt. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.