Spinach and cheese dumplings – Malfatti

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 600 g leaf spinach
• 150 g ricotta or low-fat curd cheese, well drained
• 100 g Parmesan, freshly grated
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 100 g butter
• 200 g flour
• 1 small onion(s)
• nutmeg
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

Recipe from Lombardy

Trim and wash the spinach leaves, place them in a saucepan, heat, and let them wilt. Allow to cool slightly, then squeeze the leaves dry and chop finely. Chop the onion and sauté in 30g of butter. Add the spinach and stir in. Remove from the heat and let cool. Mix the ricotta with 50g of Parmesan cheese. Stir in the spinach, eggs, and egg yolks, and season generously with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Gradually add the flour and stir into a smooth dough, seasoning again if necessary. Bring 2 liters of water to a boil in a saucepan and add salt. Cut dumplings from the dough and add them to the boiling water. Then reduce the heat. Let the malfatti simmer until they float to the surface. They are then cooked. Preheat the oven to 175°C (top/bottom heat). Remove the dumplings, drain well, and place them in an ovenproof dish. Melt the remaining butter and drizzle over the top. Place in the oven for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.