Recipe Request: Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi

[Marg]

Had lunch today in a wonderful little Italian restaurant - had a spinach ricotta gnocchi (with basil too I think) and a coarse tomatoe sauce with chunks of garlic and basil - would anyone happen to have a recipe resembling this?????????

[Gail]

Were you aware this month's CL has a recipe for Spinach Gnocchi? No, it's not exactly what you're craving, but it sounds good and if you're creative, you might be able to do some adapting.

Before checking my books, I looked on a few sites and came up with two recipes, both from Epicurious. I will caution you, though that both got mixed reviews-- some people loved them, others had troubles. So, before each recipe, I'm including a link to the site, so you can read the reviews for yourself and decide if you want to try either.


SPINACH RICOTTA GNOCCHI WITH TOMATO SAUCE
www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=11369 (http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=11369)

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
For sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
a 14- to 16-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained, reserving juice, and chopped
1/4 cup dry red wine
For gnocchi
a 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach
1 cup whole-milk ricotta
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour plus additional for forming gnocchi
freshly grated nutmeg to taste
Make sauce:
in a 9- to 10-inch heavy skillet cook garlic and onion in oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until onion is softened. Add tomatoes with reserved juice, wine, and salt and pepper to taste and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes.
Make gnocchi while sauce is cooking:
In a small saucepan combine spinach with 1/2 cup water and simmer, covered, breaking up with a fork occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain spinach in a colander and rinse under cold water to cool. Squeeze spinach in a small handfuls until as dry as possible and chop fine.
In a 5-quart saucepan bring 4 quarts salted water to a boil for cooking gnocchi. Set broiler rack about 4 inches form heat and preheat broiler.
In a bowl stir together spinach, ricotta, 1/3 cup Parmesan, yolk, 2 tablespoons flour, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste until combined well (mixture will be very soft). With well-floured hands form rounded tablespoons of mixture into logs about 2 inches long and 1 inch in diameter (about 18) and transfer gnocchi as formed to a sheet of wax paper.
Working in 2 batches, carefully transfer gnocchi with a spatula to boiling water and cook until they rise to surface, about 2 minutes. Transfer gnocchi as cooked with a slotted spoon to a buttered shallow baking dish large enough to hold them in one layer and sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan. Broil gnocchi until very hot and cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes.
Serve gnocchi with tomato sauce.
Serves 2.


Gourmet
February 1996


SPINACH AND RICOTTA GNOCCHI
www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=103453 (http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=103453)

(Gnocchi di Spinaci e Ricotta)
These gnocchi are also known in different parts of Tuscany as malfatti (badly made), ravioli nudi (naked ravioli) or topini verdi (little green mice). Gnocchi are among the oldest foods in Italy, and the spinach ones are a specialty of the Casentino, an area east of Florence where greens grow wild on the hillsides.
4 6-ounce packages ready-to-use baby spinach leaves
2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese (about 16 ounces)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup (about) all purpose flour
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Generous pinch of ground nutmeg
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
Cook spinach in large pot of boiling salted water just until wilted, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Drain. Squeeze out liquid. Chop spinach.
Mix spinach, ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/2 cup flour, egg yolks, salt, pepper and nutmeg in bowl until slightly sticky dough forms.
Dust baking sheet with flour. Working in batches and using floured hands, roll 1/4 cup dough on floured work surface to form 5-inch-long rope. Cut rope into 1-inch pieces. Roll each piece between palms to form oval. Transfer gnocchi to prepared baking sheet. Repeat rolling, cutting and shaping with remaining dough. Working in batches, add gnocchi to pot of boiling salted water; cook until gnocchi rise to surface. Cook 4 minutes longer. Using slotted spoon, remove gnocchi from water; drain. Place in serving dish.
Pour butter over gnocchi; toss. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Reheat in 400°F oven about 10 minutes.) Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
Makes 8 first-course servings.


Bon Appétit
May 2000

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I'll check through my things and see if I have anything similar and in the meantime maybe someone else will come to your rescue.

Mamasue??




[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 11-03-2000).]