Dinner Tonight: Ricotta and Spinach Gnocchi
Most of my experience with gnocchi is with the potato kind. I do love it, but it takes time. By the time the potatoes have baked, an hour has already gone by. Then you have to let it cool, and then finally set about mixing everything together. But with ricotta gnocchi, you can start with the mixing. It makes this version a perfectly legitimate weeknight meal.
I actually made my own ricotta for the meal, but that certainly isn’t necessary. And while it makes potato gnocchi seem excessive, it comes out just as light and heavenly. A light tomato sauce wouldn’t be bad, nor would a béchamel (which the Silver Spoon recommends). But I just sprinkled with a little more of the Parmesan and called it a day. Oh, and I almost forgot: That’s all because of the spinach, which adds some much needed color, and a depth a flavor that would escape the cheese.
Ricotta and Spinach Gnocchi
- serves 2 -
Ingredients
2 1/4 pounds fresh spinach, cooked and drained
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
4 tablespoons Parmesan, grated
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 cup butter, melted
Flour
Salt and pepper
Ingredients
1. Chop the cooked and drained spinach, and toss in a large bowl. Add the ricotta, egg yolks, and half the parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Lightly dust the work area with flour and your hands. Then begin to form the mixture into small spheres, about the size of golf balls. s
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When ready, gently drop a few of the balls into the water. When they rise to the top remove. They won’t be in the water for very long.
4. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and serve.
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9 Comments:
This type of gnocchi contains two things I love - ricotta and spinach - yet, I have no desire to prepare it. I've made potato gnocchi that contained spinach and the texture was great. In all fairness, if offered a bite to try, I'd try this type of gnocchi. I guess it's all what you grow up knowing...We always had potato gnocchi. But now you've gone and made me curious!
chiff0nade at 4:16PM on 12/17/07
Draining the ricotta in cheese cloth over night or as long as you can will make the gnocchi lighter.
bennylava at 4:26PM on 12/17/07
The versions I've sampled used chopped spinach and looked much lighter. More like this:
http://tinyurl.com/2j8wsk
grampart at 4:46PM on 12/17/07
Looks wonderful but could you tell me where in the recipe you add the butter? I assume it is incorporated into the gnocchi.....
nopojo at 6:08PM on 12/17/07
I finished these in the butter in the oven with parmesan and served it with tomato sauce. SO good.
It's also easier when you roll the dough into a "snake" and pinch off the ends to toss in.
miz_dj at 9:23PM on 12/17/07
this recipe actually is far more appealing to me than the potato gnocchi i was thinking of trying to make, so many thanks for posting.
cybercita at 10:54PM on 12/17/07
That was an incredibly painful process. Following this recipe can only lead to failure. 2.25 pounds of spinach is a good double what you need for this recipe.
Once mixed, these things get super sticky, flour or no. What happens when you put them into a pot of boiling water? You get soup. Spinach, ricotta soup. I ended up baking them, miz_dj definitely has the right idea there.
I am disappointed by the editorial errors: where does the butter come in? Why is the procedure labeled the ingredients, as well?
iyamapotato at 11:25PM on 12/18/07
Love the blog, always enjoy reading it. I really like these gnocchi. I just made a gnocchi with choux pastry for the first time and it was incredible. Come take a look if you have a chance and let me know what you think. http://cookingquest.wordpress.com
Thanks so much!
Joe
joejhorn at 11:01AM on 07/17/08
When I bought my SILVER SPOON and found this recipe I was delighted becasue it had the spinach gnocchi recipe I had lost. (Oddly enough, I first made the recipe when Rosita Missoni gave it to W magazine back in the days when it was a newspaper-sized publication, say, late 70s early 80s). Her suggested finish (and I made them this way) was to put the POACHED (never throw delicate morsels like these into boiling water!) gnocchi in a casserole, top with melted butter and chopped fresh sage, and bake until all were heated through again. I prefer them to potato gnocchi. Much lighter. Yum ...
artemesia at 7:25PM on 12/04/08