Recipe: gnocchi di spinaci (spinach gnocchi)

This potato-less gnocchi is made with that classic combination of spinach and ricotta, said Gennaro Contaldo. It's extremely simple to prepare, but do remember to squeeze out the excess liquid from the cooked spinach before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients. Served with a tomato sauce, it makes a delicious and hearty meal.

Ingredients

• 250g frozen spinach
• 1 x 250g tub ricotta
• 1 egg 40g grated parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling
• pinch of grated nutmeg
• sea salt 
• 250g "00" flour, plus extra for dusting

For the tomato sauce:

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• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
• sea salt

Method

• First make the tomato sauce. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat and sweat the garlic for a minute or so, then add the tomatoes with a little water (rinsed from the can) and a little salt. Cover with a lid and cook over a medium-low heat for about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the gnocchi. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and cook the frozen spinach for about 5 minutes. Drain well, squeezing out the excess liquid with your hands, then place on a chopping board and finely chop.
• Place the spinach in a large bowl with the ricotta, egg, parmesan, nutmeg and a little salt, and gradually add in the flour. Mix well until you obtain a smooth, soft dough.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a long sausage shape. Then, using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 2.5cm (about one inch) lengths. Continue doing this until all the dough has been used up.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and drop the gnocchi into the water in batches, simmering them for about a minute until they rise to the top.
• Using a slotted spoon or a spider strainer, lift the gnocchi carefully out of the water and transfer to a dish. Pour over the tomato sauce and gently mix.
• Serve immediately with a sprinkling of grated parmesan, if you like.

Taken from Gennaro’s Verdure: Big and Bold Italian Recipes to Pack Your Plate with Veg by Gennaro Contaldo, published by Pavilion Books at £26. Photography by David Loftus. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £20.99 (incl. p&p), call 020-3176 3835 or visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.

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