TO SERVE FOUR
450 g (1 lb) spinach
salt, pepper and nutmeg
40 g (1½ oz) butter
225 g (8 oz) Ricotta cheese
75 g (3 oz) flour
1 egg plus 1 extra egg yolk, well beaten
melted butter and grated Parmesan cheese for garnishing
Thoroughly wash the spinach, discarding any coarse leaves or thick stalks. Put into a pan and cook only in the water adhering to the leaves. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. When the spinach is very tender, drain well and squeeze it absolutely dry. Chop finely and rub through a coarse sieve or mouli-légumes. Add the butter and mix well. Sieve the Ricotta into a large bowl and beat until smooth, add the spinach and mix well, then add the flour, mixing thoroughly before adding the eggs and more salt and pepper, if needed. Prepare a large pan with plenty of boiling salted water. Break off small pieces of the spinach mixture and roll these with well-floured hands into small dumplings, roughly the size of a small walnut (it is important they should not be too large) and put them on to a floured board. When all are ready, drop them a few at a time into the boiling water. As they rise to the surface of the water and float, take them out with a perforated spoon, drain thoroughly in a colander and slide into a hot serving dish. Put into a warm oven to keep hot. When all the gnocchi are in the dish, pour melted butter and grated cheese over them and serve.
The gnocchi can also be put into a hot buttered baking dish and baked in a pre-heated hot oven (200C, 425F, Gas 7) for 10 minutes. They are then called malfatti di spinaci.