Equipment
Ingredients
Gnocchi Base
- 500 g russet potatoes, whole, unpeeled
- 150 g fresh spinach, stems removed
- 150 g whole milk ricotta cheese, drained of excess liquid
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 150 g all-purpose flour, sifted
- 30 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 8 g kosher salt
- 1 g ground nutmeg
Gratin Sauce
- 300 ml heavy cream
- 2 garlic, smashed
- 100 g gruyere cheese, grated
- 40 g parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Topping
- 30 g panko breadcrumbs
- 15 g unsalted butter, melted
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 806 kcal
- Protein
- 29 g
- Carbohydrates
- 65 g
- Fat
- 49 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 1333 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 30 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 197 mg
- Potassium
- 1007 mg
- Calcium
- 672 mg
- Iron
- 3.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 103 mg
- Phosphorus
- 543 mg
- Zinc
- 3.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 679 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 19 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 189 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.30 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.60 mg
- Niacin
- 2.7 mg
- Folate
- 123 mcg
- Water
- 233 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Pierce the russet potatoes several times with a fork and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 60 minutes until completely tender when pierced with a knife.
Place the fresh spinach in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toss continuously until completely wilted. Allow to cool briefly, then squeeze the spinach aggressively in a clean kitchen towel to extract as much liquid as physically possible. Finely chop the dry spinach.
Cut the hot baked potatoes in half. Scoop out the flesh and press it immediately through a potato ricer into a large mixing bowl. Spread the riced potato gently to allow steam to escape and let cool for 5 minutes.
Add the finely chopped spinach, drained ricotta, lightly beaten egg, finely grated parmesan cheese, kosher salt, and ground nutmeg to the potatoes. Mix gently with your hands or a fork until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Sprinkle the sifted all-purpose flour over the potato mixture. Fold the dough gently just until it comes together into a cohesive, shaggy mass. Do not knead. Divide the dough into four sections, roll each gently into a rope about 2 centimeters thick, and cut into individual 2-centimeter gnocchi.
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Drop the gnocchi into the water in two batches. Cook until they float to the surface, let them cook for 30 seconds more, then remove them with a slotted spoon and arrange them in a greased gratin dish.
In the skillet, combine the heavy cream and smashed garlic cloves over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, then remove the pan from the heat and discard the garlic. Whisk in the grated gruyere, parmesan, and black pepper until perfectly smooth.
Pour the warm cheese sauce evenly over the cooked gnocchi in the gratin dish. In a small bowl, toss the panko breadcrumbs with the melted unsalted butter, then sprinkle the mixture uniformly over the top of the dish.
Bake the assembled gratin at 200°C/400°F for 15 minutes, or until the sauce is actively bubbling and the breadcrumbs are toasted and golden brown. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Moisture is the mortal enemy of light gnocchi. Baking the potatoes instead of boiling them ensures a dry base, which means you need less flour, resulting in a pillowy texture.
- Wringing out the spinach is a critical step. Use a dark or older kitchen towel, as the spinach liquid will stain light fabrics. Wring it until your hands ache.
- Do not skip resting the gratin for a few minutes after it comes out of the oven. This allows the creamy sauce to thicken slightly and adhere better to the gnocchi.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Reheat in a 175C oven until warmed through.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze unbaked in a freezer-safe dish wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil.
Troubleshooting
Gnocchi dissolve or turn to mush when boiled
Cause: Potatoes retained too much moisture or the ricotta was not sufficiently drained.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once boiling. If testing a single piece fails, knead slightly more flour into the remaining dough.
Prevention: Always bake rather than boil potatoes for gnocchi, and drain ricotta overnight if necessary.
Gnocchi are dense and heavy
Cause: Dough was over-kneaded, developing too much gluten from the all-purpose flour.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Use a light hand when incorporating the flour; mix only until the flour is no longer visible.
Cultural Context
Gnocchi has ancient roots dating back to the Roman Empire, initially made from a simple semolina porridge. The introduction of the potato to Europe in the sixteenth century transformed Northern Italian dumpling making forever. Incorporating spinach and ricotta nods to the Tuscan tradition of gnudi, bridging multiple regional Italian techniques into a single, luxurious comfort dish.
