Strozzapreti
A good way of turning a large bunch of greens into a very special dinner. These melting cheese and green balls – somewhere in between gnocchi and dumplings – are best eaten with a mound of pasta. Substitute the Parmesan for another hard cheese to keep them vegetarian.
Ingredients
- 500g chard or spinach, stalks removed
- 375g ricotta cheese
- 3-4 eggs
- 125g Parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 50g plain white flour, sifted finely
- 25g butter
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Boil or steam chard leaves for 3-5 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool, squeeze until most of the water has been removed. Chop chard very finely.
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Step 2
Place the chard in a bowl, add the ricotta, and mix thoroughly using your hands.
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Step 3
Add one egg and mix, then add half the Parmesan cheese and mix again. Add two more eggs, mix again and add the seasoning and the nutmeg.
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Step 4
If the texture is thick enough, do not add any more eggs, if not add some flour to hold mixture together.
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Step 5
Roll mixture with your hands to make a ball (slightly larger than gnocchi), sprinkle with flour, repeat procedure until mixture is gone.
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Step 6
Place the strozzapetti on a floured surface and leave them to rest for an hour. Boil a large saucepan of salted water, add the strozzapetti and boil for 2 minutes
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Step 7
Gently scoop them out and keep them warm. Melt butter, pour over strozzapreti and sprinkle over remaining cheese. Serve with pasta and a tomato sauce.