The spinach dumplings with cheese sauce are delicious and very easy to make. The basic recipe for these dumplings suggests seasoning them with butter and sage.
The base of these gnocchi is stale bread and spinach, which often in Trentino (where they originate) are prepared with silene and other wild herbs such as nettles and purslane.
Like every recipe, these dumplings have undergone variations over time; in the past, they were made with much more stale bread to reuse bread, which was a precious resource not to waste.
But do you know why they are called spinach dumplings? It is said they are named so because of their sticky consistency that tends to adhere to the palate while eating.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for Spinach Dumplings with Cheese Sauce
- 18 oz spinach (fresh)
- 12 oz stale bread
- 2 egg yolks
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup milk (to soak the bread)
- 2 pinches salt
- to taste black pepper
- 2 pinches nutmeg
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 7 oz stracchino cheese
- 3.5 oz milk
- 8 leaves sage
- 2 pinches salt
- to taste black pepper
Tools
- 2 Bowls glass
- 1 Immersion Blender
- 1 Wooden Spoon
- 2 Spoons
- 1 Pot
- 1 Pan large with high sides
Steps
Cook the fresh spinach in plenty of lightly salted water for a few minutes.
Squeeze them very well to remove as much water as possible and set aside in a bowl.
Remove the crust from the bread and cut it into small cubes, place it in a large bowl and drizzle with milk.
Place the squeezed spinach in the glass of an immersion blender or a food processor bowl, add the egg yolks, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Blend until smooth; add it to the bowl with the stale bread and mix with a wooden spoon.
Add the flour and breadcrumbs and finish mixing with your hands.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of lightly salted water to the boil to cook the dumplings.
With the help of a spoon, take a portion of the dough and pass it between one spoon and the other to form the dumplings.
We formed them with hands slightly dusted with flour and worked them like meatballs to then give them a slightly flattened and elongated shape.
As you form them, place them on baking paper dusted with more flour.
Prepare the cheese sauce, work the stracchino with 1 tablespoon of oil in a small bowl to make it creamy.
Heat the milk in a large pan with high sides and pour in the softened cheese, season with salt, pepper, and incorporate the sage leaves.
On low heat, melt the cheese until a smooth cream is formed.
Keep warm.
Cook the dumplings by gently dropping them into the water; once they float, cook for 3 or 4 minutes then drain them with a slotted spoon.
On each plate, distribute a ladle of cheese sauce and place the dumplings on top.
Sprinkle with grated Grana Padano cheese.
Otherwise, place the dumplings in a soup tureen, sprinkle with cheese sauce and bring to the table still steaming.
Tips for Spinach Dumplings with Cheese Sauce
You can use frozen spinach by sautéing them in a pan directly from frozen so they lose their storage water.
If the mixture is too soft, you can add more flour but sparingly, otherwise they will be too hard once cooked.
You can cook the dumplings the day before and store them between 2 towels on a tray in the refrigerator.
The dumplings can be frozen either raw or once boiled, always laid on a tray with a cloth underneath, and then after a few hours put them in special bags.
How to prevent dumplings from breaking apart during cooking? Make sure to squeeze the cooked spinach very well and cook the dumplings for just a few minutes after they float.
Variations
Gorgonzola Spinach Dumplings: This variation includes a creamy gorgonzola sauce, providing a rich and enveloping flavor.
Spinach Dumplings with Nettles: Instead of spinach, you can use nettles for a slightly different and wilder taste.
Spinach Dumplings with Greens and Chard: Another variation involves using greens and chard instead of spinach, enriching the dish with different flavor nuances.
Spinach Dumplings with Speck or Bacon: Add speck or bacon for a smoky and crunchy touch that perfectly matches the softness of the dumplings.
Spinach Dumplings with Sage and Butter: A classic and simple version, seasoned with melted butter and sage leaves to enhance the flavor of the main ingredients.
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