Handful

A handful is as much of an ingredient as you can pick up and hold in one cupped hand. Recipes use it for things where the exact amount does not matter much, such as leafy herbs, salad greens, spinach, nuts, cheese for scattering on top, or pasta for one person. It changes with the size of your hand and how tightly you grab, so treat it as a rough guide.

How to do it

1. Pick the ingredient up with your fingers spread a little and your palm cupped.
2. Do not press it into a ball. A handful is loose, not packed.
3. Add it to the dish, stir, and taste. Add another if the dish needs more.

How to use it

These are rough weights for one loose adult handful:

Ingredient	Rough amount
Basil, parsley or cilantro leaves	10 to 15 g, about ½ cup
Baby spinach or arugula	25 to 30 g, about 1 cup
Nuts	25 to 30 g, about ¼ cup
Grated cheese	25 to 30 g, about ¼ cup
Dried pasta	80 to 100 g

When the ingredient will shrink a lot, the handful can be generous. A big handful of spinach drops to a spoonful once it is cooked until wilted. When the ingredient is strong, such as chiles or salty cheese, start small.

Common mistakes

• Packing leaves tightly. A squeezed handful of herbs can be double the amount meant, and the herb takes over.
• Using a handful of a strong herb such as tarragon or rosemary the way you would use mild parsley.
• Worrying about it. If a recipe gives only a handful, the cook trusts you to taste and decide.

In recipes

You will see "a handful of fresh basil", "a large handful of spinach" and "a small handful of toasted almonds". A small handful is about half a normal one. For a more exact amount of herbs, look at a bunch, or weigh on a kitchen scale. A pinch is the smallest of these hand measures, and a handful the largest.