Baked Snapper with Spinach Filling

( Makes 4 servings)

Spinach filling:

2 tablespoons pine nuts

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 pound baby spinach, rinsed but not dried

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons golden or dark seedless raisins

Fish:

Extra-virgin olive oil, for oiling the dish and drizzling on the fillets

4 skinless snapper fillets (about 6 ounces each)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Lemon wedges for serving

Make spinach filling: Heat a medium skillet over medium heat until hot. Add pine nuts and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add oil and garlic to skillet and stir over medium heat until garlic is softened, about 1 minute. A handful at a time, stir in spinach, letting the first addition wilt before adding more. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.

Transfer spinach mixture to a large wire sieve and let it stand until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Press spinach with a wooden spoon to extract excess liquid. Transfer to a chopping board and coarsely chop spinach. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in pine nuts and raisins.

Prepare fish: Position a rack in center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a large baking dish to hold fillets.

Put fillets on a work surface, skinned side down. Season them lightly with salt and pepper. Place one-fourth of the spinach mixture on each fillet, and fold in half crosswise to cover spinach. Transfer fillets to prepared dish. Mix wine and tomato paste in a small bowl to dissolve the paste. Pour it around fish and drizzle it with oil.

Roast fish in preheated oven just until fillets are opaque when flaked with the tip of a small sharp knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot with the lemon wedges.