Ricotta & Spinach Gnocchi With Parmesan Cream Sauce

The problem with homemade classic gnocchi can be with choosing the perfect potatoes, I know. And even a hint of too much flour can easily make them heavy instead of light little dumplings. So what is the secret of soft and light gnocchi? Just skip the potatoes and use ricotta instead! Not only is the outcome much easier to control, the whole recipe is so much easier, quicker and healthier. Children love these gnocchi.

Ingredients

450 g fresh spinach, well rinsed or 280 g frozen spinach

280 g ricotta, drained

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1 cup flour

60 g butter

9 fresh sage leaves

Directions

Step 1

For the fresh spinach: add a drizzle of olive oil in a sauté́ pan over medium to high heat. Once hot, add the garlic and sauté́ for about 30 seconds. Add in as many handfuls of spinach as you can fit in the pan. Stir to cook the spinach and once they start to wilt, add in the rest of the spinach to the pan. Stir to cook evenly. Add in a pinch of salt and cook for a couple of minutes until wilted. Remove the garlic from the pan. Scoop out the cooked spinach and place into a wire strainer. Squeeze the excess water and oil out of the spinach. Scoop the spinach onto a plate and let it cool off. Finely chop but do not puree.

For the frozen spinach: if the spinach is frozen, put into a pan without water and, on lowest heat, cook the spinach, turning, until just cooked, a few minutes.

Step 2

Once the spinach has cooled off, mix the chopped spinach with the ricotta and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese, and 2 eggs. Add enough of the remaining 3 tablespoons Parmesan, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture binds but remains soft. It may not take all the cheese. Once fully mixed, add in a small amount of flour at a time and mix. If still too soft and not doughy, add in a bit more flour. Once it gets a little bit more dry and crumbly, sprinkle a bit of flour onto a cutting board and begin to knead the dough out on the cutting board. If prepared ahead, cover and refrigerate.

Step 3

Bring a large pan of salted water to a simmer. Sift the flour onto a work surface or a large platter.

Step 4

Once the dough has formed, roll into a ball and cut off about 2 inches thick of the dough. Roll it out until about an inch thick and then cut into 1 inch sections.

Step 5

Using a slotted spoon, slide the gnocchi into the simmering water; do not overcrowd the pan. When the gnocchi rise to the surface, let them simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and put them into a warm dish. Cover and set in a warm place while preparing the others.

Step 6

Melt the butter in a medium skillet over moderate heat. Add the sage leaves and sauté́ until light brown. Pour the butter and sage leaves over the gnocchi. Serve at once, with additional grated cheese if desired.

Baked Spinach & Ricotta Gnocchi With Parmesan and Cream

Prepare the gnocchi as described above, but omit the butter and sage. Transfer the poached gnocchi to a buttered baking dish, preferably one that will look nice on the table. Sprinkle 140 g of shredded Parmesan cheese over the top and drizzle 2/3 cup (160 ml) fresh heavy cream over the gnocchi. Bake in a preheated 375 °F oven for 25 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown.

Enjoy whichever way you prefer! Bon appetit!

Tip: The trick to making the best ricotta gnocchi is to use as less flour as possible. Always add the flour a little at a time so you can keep an eye on the texture of the dough.