Gnocchi with Stracchino Cheese and Spinach
Category: First Courses
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Potatoes | 1 kg |
| All-purpose flour | 300 g |
| Eggs | 1 |
| Fine salt | to taste |
| Stracchino cheese | 200 g |
| Fresh spinach | 400 g |
| Extra virgin olive oil | 20 g |
| Fresh cream (liquid) | 40 g |
| Parmigiano Reggiano DOP | to taste |
| Black pepper | to taste |
Instructions:
To make these soft and creamy gnocchi with stracchino and spinach, begin by preparing the gnocchi dough. Start by boiling the potatoes in salted water for about 30-40 minutes, depending on their size. You can check for doneness by pricking the potatoes with a fork. If the fork slides in easily, they are ready to be drained.
Once the potatoes are cooked, peel them while still hot and pass them through a potato ricer. Place the potato purée onto a clean surface, like a wooden board, and sprinkle the flour over the top. Add the egg and a pinch of salt, and begin to mix and knead everything together with your hands until a smooth dough forms.
Next, take a portion of the dough and roll it into a log shape, about 2 centimeters thick. While doing this, cover the remaining dough with a clean cloth to prevent it from drying out. Once you have the dough logs, cut them into small, bite-sized pieces.
If you have a gnocchi board, roll each piece of dough along it to form the signature grooves. If you don’t have a gnocchi board, simply use a fork—press each piece of dough gently against the tines to create the ridges. Set the prepared gnocchi aside.
Now, focus on the spinach and stracchino cheese sauce. Heat a little olive oil in a large pan over medium heat, and add the washed spinach. Cover the pan with a lid to allow the spinach to wilt. Once the spinach is wilted, transfer it to a cutting board and chop it finely.
In the same pan, over low heat, add the stracchino cheese and the fresh cream. Stir constantly to melt the cheese and create a smooth, creamy sauce. Once the cheese has melted into the cream, add the chopped spinach and mix everything together thoroughly.
While preparing the sauce, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully drop the gnocchi into the boiling water, cooking them in batches to avoid overcrowding. The gnocchi will cook quickly and float to the surface when they’re done, usually within 2-3 minutes.
Once the gnocchi are cooked, gently transfer them to the pan with the creamy spinach and stracchino sauce. Toss them carefully to coat the gnocchi in the sauce, allowing them to absorb all the delicious flavors.
Serve the gnocchi while hot, garnishing with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and a touch of black pepper for extra flavor.
Tips:
- Potato Quality: For the best gnocchi, choose waxy potatoes with less starch, as they hold their shape better and give a smoother texture.
- Stracchino Cheese: If stracchino is unavailable, you can substitute it with a mild cream cheese, though stracchino has a unique, creamy texture that’s ideal for this recipe.
- Making Ahead: You can prepare the gnocchi dough ahead of time, refrigerating it for a few hours before shaping it into logs. You can also freeze uncooked gnocchi for later use—just cook them from frozen.
Enjoy these tender gnocchi served with a rich, creamy sauce that combines the earthy spinach with the smooth and indulgent stracchino cheese. A perfect dish for any occasion, especially for those looking to indulge in a comforting Italian classic.
