Serves 6
• ½ lb. spinach leaves
• 9 Tbs. butter, melted
• 1 cup well-drained ricotta cheese
• ⅔ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• 7 Tbs. flour, and more as needed for rolling
• ¾ tsp. salt
• fresh-ground pepper to taste; pinch of nutmeg (optional)
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1. Wash the spinach leaves carefully and cook them in 3 tablespoons of the melted butter on medium-high heat, stirring often, until they are completely tender and the liquid from them has evaporated completely. They should be just beginning to stick to the pan. This may take 10 to 15 minutes. Purée the cooked spinach in a blender or mince it with a large knife.
2. In a fairly large bowl, combine the spinach purée with the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, beaten egg yolks, 7 tablespoons flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir the mixture vigorously until it is perfectly blended and lump-free. Chill the mixture for at least ½ hour.
3. Using two teaspoons, form little gnocchi about the size and shape of a pecan: Scoop up a rounded teaspoonful of the mixture in one spoon, then cup the second spoon over it and slide it off to the side. Do this once or twice more to get an even shape and drop the little dumpling into a bowl of flour. Roll it in the flour, dust it off, and put it down on wax paper. Continue forming the gnocchi until all of the spinach-cheese mixture is used up.
4. To cook the gnocchi, drop them carefully into about 6 quarts of simmering salted water. Allow them to simmer (not boil) for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring them very gently once or twice with a wooden spoon to make sure they don’t stick to each other. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and drain them on a clean cloth.
5. Pour another 3 tablespoons melted butter into a large, shallow casserole or gratin dish. Brush it evenly over the bottom of the dish and arrange the gnocchi in it in one layer. Pour the remaining 3 tablespoons butter over them and sprinkle them with the grated Parmesan cheese. Bake the gnocchi in a preheated 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are hot through and the cheese is beginning to color.
