Baby Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds

• 1 tablespoon wine vinegar
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 1/2 ounces dates (100 grams), preferably Medjool, pitted and quartered lengthwise
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 grams)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 small pitas (about 3 1/2 ounces, or 100 grams), roughly torn into 1 1/2 -inch pieces
• 1/2 cup whole unsalted almonds (75 grams), coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons sumac
• 1/2 teaspoon chile flakes
• 5 to 6 ounces baby spinach leaves (150 grams)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. Put vinegar, onion and dates in a small bowl.
2. Add a pinch of salt and mix well with your hands.
3. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes, then drain any residual vinegar and discard.
4. Meanwhile, heat butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat.
5. Add pita and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring all the time, until pita is golden.
6. Add almonds and continue cooking until pita is crunchy and browned and almonds are toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes more.
7. Remove from heat and mix in sumac, chile flakes and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
8. Set aside to cool.
9. When ready to serve, toss spinach leaves with pita mix in a large mixing bowl.
10. Add dates and red onion, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the lemon juice and another pinch of salt.
11. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.

wine vinegar, red onion, dates, salt, unsalted butter, olive oil, pitas, sumac, chile flakes, baby spinach, freshly squeezed lemon juice

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014942 (may not work)