Gnocchi di Ricotta e Spinaci/ Ricotta and Spinach Gnocchi with a Brown Butter and Sage Sauce

Ricotta and Spinach Gnocchi 

If you are visiting this page then chances are you are a lover of gnocchi like me! Just like every other Italian dish, the way they are made varies from region to region. It is typically made with potatoes and flour but if you ask any Italian it's almost a guarantee that they will share a different recipe than the last. Some are adamant about adding eggs and others say no way. Some use semolina flour only and others use all purpose flour or double zero.  Each flour of course will result in a different consistency. I prefer my gnocchi with a bit of a chewy consistency. I love the pillowy soft ones and will gladly eat them but I most definitely prefer ones that don't melt in my mouth. Chefs and Italians everywhere will probably disagree with me and say that gnocchi should be pillowy and light and airy. Most definitely but being Italian, I believe that is entirely a personal choice (and I will gladly defend that!)🤣 If you are new at making gnocchi then I would recommend giving all options a try and see which you prefer. There are different kinds of gnocchi as well and with the popularity of Italian Cucina Povera have come some unique kinds such as beet or butternut squash gnocchi. I have yet to try beet but I do love butternut squash gnocchi! Growing up we ate mostly potato gnocchi.  I loved my mom's gnocchi. They were fluffy and pillowy and they taste amazing with a rich, meaty tomato sauce. I would help my mom make the dough and roll out the logs and I couldn't wait until Sunday knowing that was what we were having.

This recipe  combines all purpose flour and semolina rimacinata at a 2:1 ratio. Semola rimacinata is wheat flour that is double milled so it is fine and light. It is yellowish in colour and has an elastic, resistant gluten that makes it ideal for pastas, pizza and gnocchi. Regular semolina is not grinded twice and is a bit coarser.  HOWEVER, if you prefer a lighter, fluffier gnocchi I would recommend you not use a combination of both and use Double 00 flour which will yield a pillowy gnocchi.

Another important factor to consider is to knead the dough until it is ready and not over knead it. Overworking the dough will create too much gluten and make your gnocchi rubbery. Just work it until it comes together smoothly, you can form a ball and it rolls well. You also want to use as little flour as needed so be sure to add the flour slowly to the mixture and not add it all at once.  

Making gnocchi takes practise and I promise you the more you give it a go the more skilled you will become. More than once have my gnocchi turned out tough as nails or melted into a big glob in the water! Don't give up!

Are you ready? 

Andiamo a cucinare!

* flour measurements are estimates. Start with the recommended amount and then adjust as you go along as needed. You may need more or less depending. Let your hands be your guide!!!

Options for flour include

• 2:1 ratio of AP and semola or semolina
• 2:1 ratio of Tipo 00 and semola or semolina
• all AP
• all Tipo 00
• all semola or semolina

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup semola rimacinata
• 1 tub of whole fat ricotta (475 g)
• 300 grams of frozen spinach- thawed
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg (QB)
• 1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano
• 2 eggs

      

        

Directions

1. Thaw spinach and place in a colander. Use back of fork or spoon to press out liquid. Then squeeze rest of liquid out in your hands. 
2. Place spinach, ricotta, eggs, cheese and nutmeg in a large bowl and stir together.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together flours
4.  Slowly add the flour mixture to the ricotta mixture and mix using your hands to mix together.
5. The dough will start to form. Continue to add flour until it is formed enough to transfer to a lightly floured wooden surface.
6. Knead dough just until it easily forms into a smooth ball
7. Using a dough scraper, cut off sections of the dough
8. Roll the dough into logs or snakes about one inch thick. Start rolling in your palm and then transfer to board working from the middle to the end using the palms of your hands. 
9. Cut the logs into uniformed sizes.
10. You can indent the middle of the gnocchi with your finger and it will leave a little pocket for the sauce or you can use a gnocchi board if you have one. Alternatively, you can leave them as is!
11. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly floured. 
12. If freezing, loosely place plastic wrap on the gnocchi ( make sure they are not touching and they have a light coating of flour on them) and put in freezer. Once frozen you can put them in a freezer bag.
13. To cook gnocchi bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add lots of salt and carefully drop in the gnocchi a little at a time. You don't want to drop them all in at once or they may clump.
14. Stir right away so they don't stick to bottom of pot. Bring back to boil and maintain water at a steady boil. 
15. Stir gnocchi frequently and once gnocchi rise to the top of the water they are done ( a few minutes if fresh and a bit longer if frozen)
16. Remove immediately from water with a spider and either place in a pan if using a sauce or add some tomato sauce and sprinkle with cheese!

                 

Brown Butter and Sage Sauce

1. Add salted butter to a large deep skillet and turn on heat
2. Heat butter being careful not to burn it.  Add washed and dried fresh sage leaves
3. Continue to heat up butter until it turns a beautiful golden colour and begins to bubble. The sage will also crispen up.
4. Add the gnocchi to the pan directly from the water. Do not overcrowd the gnocchi or they will not get crispy on the edges.
5. They don't take long to coat in butter and fry up a bit. Sprinkle with parmigiano.

A mangia!

Fatto Con amore,

Elena 💜