Heat & Knives

The Recipe

Source: Biba’s Italy: Favorite Recipes from the Splendid Cities by Biba Caggiano

2 pounds fresh spinach, stems removed, washed in several changes of water
salt
3/4 pound fresh ricotta
pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping
coarse salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 to 8 fresh sage leaves

Put a couple inches of water in a large pot over high heat; in a large bowl, prepare an ice-water bath. When the water begins to boil, add the spinach and a large pinch of salt, and boil for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and plunge the spinach into the ice water. When cool, drain again. Squeeze the spinach with your hands to remove as much water as possible. Place the spinach on a clean kitchen towel or cloth napkin and wring the cloth to draw out as much water as possible. Chop the spinach very fine by hand or by pulsing in the bowl of a food processor, making sure not to puree it.

In a large bowl, combine the spinach with the ricotta, nutmeg, egg, and 1 cup of the Parmigiano. Season lightly with salt. Sprinkle in the flour a little at a time, and mix with your hands or with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are well incorporated and the mixture is moist but sticks together easily.

Test the consistency of your dumplings:

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Take a large tablespoon of the spinach mixture, shape it into a ball about the size of a walnut, and drop it into the boiling water. If the dumpling keeps its shape and does not break up in the water, go ahead and shape the remaining mixture. If the dumpling falls apart, add a little more flour to the mixture.

Shape all the dumplings, then line them on a lightly floured baking sheet, making sure they do not touch one another. Refrigerate, uncovered, for up to several hours.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add a large pinch of coarse salt. Drop the dumplings gently into the boiling water. As soon as the water comes back to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook at a gentle simmer until the dumplings rise to the surface of the water, 3 to 4 minutes.

While the dumplings are cooking, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. When it begins to foam, add the sage and stir a few times.

As the dumplings come to the surface of the water, remove them with a slotted spoon or a skimmer, draining the excess water back into the pot, and place on warm serving dishes. Spoon the butter-sage sauce over the dumplings and dust with the remaining Parmigiano. Serve at once.

Wet Ricotta:

Cow’s-milk ricotta is the most common type found in the United States, and it often has a larger amount of moisture then imported Italian ricotta. Since moisture in ricotta (or in the spinach) will make these dumplings fall apart in the water, this is what you do:
Line a strainer with two layers of cheesecloth. Add the ricotta and wrap it in the cheesecloth. Place the strainer over a large bowl and refrigerate for several hours or overnight to allow the liquid to drain. Or, to speed up the process, wrap the ricotta in the two layers of cheesecloth and gently squeeze out some of its liquid.