SPINACH RICOTTA GNOCCHI

(from kylerhea’s recipe box)

FROZEN SPINACH BRANDS I’m having great luck with the frozen spinach from Trader Joe’s, few stems, very fresh tasting. I’ve had trouble with the house brand from Schnucks here in St. Louis, even the Birds Eye brand. I’ve learned that it’s best to let frozen spinach thaw in a dish in the refrigerator overnight rather than to defrost in the microwave where it starts to cook and can get tough. You might want to experiment cooking a single gnocchi to get the hang of it, to watch how the gnocchi is heavy and then lightens in the water until it then actually floats to the top. The nutmeg was a little subtle for my taste. Next time I think I’ll try lemon zest.

Source: Veggie Venture

Categories: April2011, Italian, Main dish, Spinach

Ingredients

  • For cooking the spinach, boiling salted water
  • 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, preferably thawed overnight in the refrigerator (see TIPS)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup very finely chopped onion
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 3/4 cup ricotta (part-skim worked fine)
  • 2/3 cup flour, fluffed to aerate before measuring
  • 2 ounces (55g) fresh Parmesan, grated (about 1 cup coarsely grated)
  • Freshly grated nutmeg, about 1/8 teaspoon (see TIPS)
  • Salt to taste

Directions

  1. Bring the water to a boil. Add the spinach, let the water return to a boil and then cook for five minutes or until the raw taste of the spinach is gone. Let drain in a colander. Press the spinach with the back of a spoon, removing all the excess liquid.

  2. In a large skillet, melt the butter, then add the onion and cook gently until the onion is cooked but not brown. Add the spinach and stir to coat with fat. Let the spinach cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is hot throughout and all the liquid is gone. Let cool.

  3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, then whisk in the ricotta, flour, Parmesan, nutmeg and salt. Stir in the cooled spinach. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours to firm up slightly.

  4. To cook the gnocchi, bring the water to a boil. With your hands, form balls about the size of a golf ball, compressing slightly. Make enough to fill the pot without crowding, our four-quart Dutch oven held about 10 at a time. Drop in all ten (or so) balls at once, they’ll drop to the bottom and then, after two or three minutes, float to the top. Transfer to a dish to keep warm, continue until all the gnocchi are cooked.

  5. TO SERVE

  6. Plain or Creamy Tomato Sauce, warmed

  7. Cooked gnocchi, warmed

  8. Additional grated Parmesan, optional

  9. To serve, pool some warm Creamy Tomato Sauce on a plate, arrange several gnocchi on the plate, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

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