Spinach and Cheese Dumplings

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Gnocchi

1. 1
   Wash the spinach and cook in a pan with a little water 3–4 minutes, until wilted. Cool, squeeze out the water well and chop finely.

   StoveFrying panKnifeCutting board
2. 2
   In a bowl, mix the spinach, the ricotta, the flour, the egg, part of the Parmesan, the nutmeg, the salt and the black pepper into a smooth batter.

   Bowl
3. 3
   Chill the batter in the fridge 20 minutes so it's easy to shape.

   Refrigerator
4. 4
   With floured hands, shape the batter into small balls.
5. 5
   Cook the dumplings in boiling salted water, until they float, plus another 2 minutes, and remove with a slotted spoon.

   ⚙ Cooking in salted waterStovePotSlotted spoon

   💡The water should taste like a seasoned soup, not like sea water: a heaping teaspoon of salt per liter. Add the salt once the water is boiling.

For the Tomato sauce

1. 6
   In a bowl, mix the tomatoes, olive oil and garlic.

   ⚙ Pan-fryingStoveFrying pan
2. 7
   Add and fry 3 minutes, until the peppers soften.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
3. 8
   Add and stir about a minute, until fragrant.

   ⚙ SimmeringStove

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
4. 9
   Transfer the dumplings straight into the sauce, stir gently and serve immediately with the rest of the Parmesan grated on top.

   💡Gnocchi are delicate: toss them in the sauce gently and only for a minute or two, or they fall apart.