Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi

Have you ever made potato gnocchi? If you have, then you know that the process can be tricky at best.

What you want are light, fluffy dumpling pillows. What we often get is dense, chewy dough balls.

Gnocchi with ricotta cheese is much more forgiving than the potato version. The dough holds together better, and the result is likely to be more pillow-like than chewy.

I was taught this approach by a wonderful local Italian chef, Biba Caggiano, who showed me that the trick to a light gnocchi was in how you rolled them out. You want a light touch, gently stretching the dough outwards as you roll it into shape. A heavy touch will compress the dough.

The sauce is a simple one, just tomatoes and goat cheese with a hint of garlic. But you can use any favorite sauce with the gnocchi.

Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi Recipe

Ingredients

Gnocchi

• 3 ounces fresh or frozen spinach
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 pounds whole milk ricotta cheese, drained of excess moisture
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• Pinch of nutmeg

Sauce

• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (or whole tomatoes that you shred as you add to the pan)
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• Salt
• 2 ounces goat cheese

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