Italian Vegetarian Cooking : Gnocchi - Spinach and Ricotta Cheese Gnocchi

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Serves: 4
Cooking time (approx.): 9 minutes
Style: Italian Vegetarian

4 cup(s) spinach leaves
1 cup(s) ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon(s) basil leaves
4 cup(s) plain flour
freshly powdered nutmeg, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup(s) grated parmesan cheese

Blanch the spinach leaves in boiling water for about 4 minutes. Drain and refresh in cold water. Drain and squeeze out the water well. Chop finely. Blendalong with ricotta cheese, basil, nutmeg, salt and pepper till smooth. Remove into a bowl and gradually add the plain flour kneading well with a greased hand to form a smooth slightly sticky dough.
Put the dough into a piping bag with a large nozzle. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Pipe small cylinders of the dough (cutting the dough with a knife as you pipe to form small cylinders) into the water and cook for about 4 minutes or till they rise to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon. Cook in batches if required.
(An optional step) Arrange the gnocchi in a greased oven tray. Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese on top. Bake in a preheated oven at at 200^oC or 400^oF for about 5 minutes or till the cheese is browned.

TIPS:
The cooked gnocchi can be served with a sauce of your choice even with out baking. Alternatively, the gnocchi can be baked with a sauce of your choice topped with cheese.

Serve hot with: Basil and garlic sauce.

Vegetarian Italian Cooking

Spinach and Ricotta Cheese Gnocchi