Ricotta Spinach Gnocci

[Lillianna]

These sound heavenly! thanks!

[lindaokc]

I agree that the spinach MUST be as dry as possible. I used frozen spinach, but squeezed the heck out of it. It was a dry little ball when I finished and I had to break it back apart. I had no problems with it flattening out but I also used the whole milk ricotta. These are SO darned yummy!!

[Barbo]

So glad you liked the dish. I need to buy some more baby spinach
and do a sauce with meatballs to go with it. It's so encouraging
when people like the food that you post. Credit goes to the man
of Tuscany who prepared it for us.

[SNUGGS11]

I have a cooking club that gets together once a month. I had to try this recipe. WE LOVED IT. They were all gone. I think I might even make it again tonight.

Thanks for this recipe....yummy!

[PaminKY]

Originally Posted by lindaokc

I agree that the spinach MUST be as dry as possible. I used frozen spinach, but squeezed the heck out of it. It was a dry little ball when I finished and I had to break it back apart. I had no problems with it flattening out but I also used the whole milk ricotta. These are SO darned yummy!!

Did you use just one package of the frozen spinach? I've got some in my freeze I'd like to use.


Thanks,
Pam

[Barbo]

Fresh baby spinach. LindaofOK tried it with frozen spinach squeezed
very dry and it was a success. Her post is on the first page of
this thread.

[bekki1]

saving to make sunday

[Linny]

Quick question......is ALL the butter suppose to be melted? There are 2 TBS that go in the recipe and then the other 2 are melted and drizzled before baking.

[Linny]

OK, I found the recipe at Cooking Channel and don't see butter in the recipe there. Here is the recipe from that cooking show: Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi Recipe : Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos : Recipes : Cooking Channel

[BarbDe]

Oh man! I JUST made a huge batch of Spinach Lasagna! I'm going to save this recipe for next time.

[Linny]

I just made these using the Cooking Chanels recipe because I didn't know what to do with the butter in Barbo's recipe and they are in the oven baking......they smell so good. I also bought a jar of Mario Batalli's Marinara Sauce to serve with this. That jarred sauce is outstanding and with no added sugar or funky stuff. Only 5g carbs per serving.

First picture is what they looked like before baking and second picture is after with some marinara sauce.

These are nothing like real gnocchi but they are VERY GOOD

[Barbo]

2 tbs. was saved for drizzling over top before baking.

Thanks for the great pictures.

[Barbo]

Ingredients
2 pounds fresh spinach (about 3 bunches)
1 (16-ounce) container ricotta cheese
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 handfuls fresh sage

[Gibbs]

I finally made these this weekend. And although I don't think I drained the spinach well enough, they sort of flattened out while baking. Plus dopey me forgot to chop the spinach, which made an interesting time for rolling them. But man were they good! Thanks!

[Linny]

Originally Posted by Barbo

Ingredients
2 pounds fresh spinach (about 3 bunches)
1 (16-ounce) container ricotta cheese
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 handfuls fresh sage

I must be blind because I still don't see where its added in with the ricotta/spinach mixture....I know some of it is used for the sage butter. Well, I made it without adding butter to the spinach/ricotta mixture and they were so firm and perfect. I don't think I will add it when I make them again.

Thanks again for sharing the recipe

[Linny]

OK, this is funny because I just watched this segment on the Cooking Channel and there is no butter in the spinach/ricotta mixture so that may be why everyone is having trouble. The butter is only for coating the bottom of your cooking dish, then dotting some around the balls before baking. The rest is for melting with sage and drizzling over the top.

Hope that helps

[lindaokc]

I used butter in the recipe I made, just as Barbo stated. It was just fine. I don't believe everyone is having trouble. If the dish is too runny/flattened, I would think it would be not squeezing the spinach dry enough.
I will continue to use the butter per Barbo's tweak.

[Barbo]

Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi
Recipe courtesy Gabriele Corcos and Debi Mazar
Episode: Chickens Come HomeViewPhoto: Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi
TOTAL TIME:38 minPrep:20 minInactive Prep:--Cook:18 minYIELD:6 servingsLEVEL:IntermediateIngredients
2 pounds fresh spinach (about 3 bunches)
1 (16-ounce) container ricotta cheese
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 handfuls fresh sage
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Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring a large pot salted water to a boil.

Cut the stems off the spinach, and soak the leaves in the sink. Wash them thoroughly.

Add the spinach to the boiling water and cook 1 minute. Remove spinach from the water and plunge in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.

Drain the spinach very well, and using a clean tea towel, squeeze out the extra water. Chop the leaves very fine.

Put the cooked spinach in a large bowl, add the ricotta, 3 tablespoons Parmesan, egg yolks, and season with a couple pinches salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Mix well, and make sure that the ricotta crumbles into fine pieces, and mixes properly with the spinach. Shape the mixture into balls about the size of walnuts.

Lightly butter a 13 by 9-inch casserole dish, lay all the gnocchi in it, and dress it with a few very thin slices butter and a sprinkling of Parmesan. Cook the gnocchi at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes, and then use the broiler for the last 5 minutes to crisp and brown the top of the spinach balls.

In a medium skillet, *melt the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter*, and saute the sage until it starts to brown. Serve the gnocchi on a warm plate and dress with the sage-butter sauce, and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan.

* Please read the entire recipe. I need to correct this concept as this
is NOT my recipe and the butter was used and is not a tweak by me.

[lindaokc]

Sorry, Barbo. I was just going by your original post that it was tweaked by you.

[Linny]

Hey no worries, I was looking at the original recipe on the cooking channel's site and could not figure out where the butter was in the mixture. I realize this is YOUR tweak/adaption of the original recipe......IT'S ALL GOOD!! What's a little extra butter, right?

[bekki1]

This was so very good. I had 3 and the rest are going in the fridge. These will be great in the lunch box!
No spreading here. This will be a regular in my house. I may have to double it when the kids and boyfriend eat with me, just so I can have left overs!
Thanks for this amazing recipe!

[Barbo]

They are lovely..I'll make them this week when my daughter
comes in from Colorado. I that she will love them.

[fourstubbs]

THEY LOOK SOOOOO GOOD!!! All I need is the full fat ricotta cheese...delicious... Maybe I can make a fettucini type of sauce to go on top, it would be good!! I can't wait I can put this over some zoodles... mmm mmm mmm. Thanks!!!

[CarolynF]

I'm making Barbo's recipe tonight. I couldn't find whole ricotta, so I'm draining my ricotta to get the water out..I think a coffee filter inside a colander will work great.

I did get the spinach, but dh is leaving for a trip, so I can enjoy them the rest of the week..

Let you know.

[buttoni]

How on earth did I miss this delicious sounding recipe? I'd love to try these, Barb!

[Ginaaaaaa]

I might try this with frozen spinach, how many packages should I use? I only have cottage cheese, I wonder if that would work in place of the ricotta? I sometimes use cottage cheese instead of ricotta when I make lasagna.

[rosethorns]

I've always done these with exactly to her recipe and they are great.

Gina I use to make lasgna with cottage cheese for my kids . That's the only way they would eat lasgna. It might work in this recipe. I've never done it 'cause I like ricotta cheese. Try it.

[Ginaaaaaa]

Originally Posted by rosethorns

I've always done these with exactly to her recipe and they are great.

Gina I use to make lasgna with cottage cheese for my kids . That's the only way they would eat lasgna. It might work in this recipe. I've never done it 'cause I like ricotta cheese. Try it.

Thanks Esther! I sometimes made it with cottage cheese for the kids too, maybe I will just wait until I get some ricotta. I'm thinking 1 pkg of frozen spinach would work well for the entire recipe. I do love fresh spinach, but I save that for salads, and don't like to buy too much fresh because it goes bad if I don't get around to using it up.

[rosethorns]

I love fresh spinach. Your very welcome.

Gina.....How do I do a quote in a message? Sorry for the thread jack Miss Barbo.

[SCOTTSDALEJULIE]

Not gina, but just click on quote at the botton of the page, and it will show up on your reply.