Spinach is very rich in vitamins and minerals. Suffice it to say that in terms of the amount of carotene, it is second only to carrots, and vital vitamins are contained in it in a form that is resistant to temperature. Let's prepare a hearty and flavorful Italian spinach dish that will appeal not only to vegetarians.
Ingredients:
- 600 g fresh spinach leaves (or frozen spinach - about 300 g);
- 150 g ricotta (or low-fat well-strained cottage cheese);
- 100 g pureed parmesan;
- 1 yolk and 2 whole eggs;
- 120 g butter;
- 1 medium onion
- ground black pepper;
- nutmeg;
- salt;
- 200 g flour.
Preparation:
- Peel the spinach, rinse and, without drying, simmer over medium heat in a covered saucepan until it softens slightly. Put the leaves to cool.
- Crumple the cooled leaves and chop finely. Melt a little (about 30 g) butter and fry over medium heat until the leaves become transparent. Stir, remove from heat and cool.
- Mash the ricotta thoroughly and place in spinach. Add half the grated Parmesan cheese, eggs, egg yolk, spices, a pinch of salt. Pour flour into the mixture, stirring slowly. Mix the resulting dough thoroughly with a mixer or in a blender to get a homogeneous mass.
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Boil at least 3 liters of water in a large saucepan, adding a little salt. Using a couple of teaspoons, form dumplings from the dough and gently pour them into boiling water. Simmer over low heat, without covering the pot, until the dumplings have completely floated.
- Remove the dumplings from the pan with a slotted spoon, drain the water and gently transfer to a greased mold. Melt any remaining butter and pour over the dumplings.
- Sprinkle the rest of the grated Parmesan on top. Place the dish in the oven for about 5-7 minutes, until the cheese is well melted and stringy.
Serve hot as a separate dish. A good addition will be the traditional Italian dry white wine Pinot Bianco.
