Spinach and ricotta gnocchi with tomato and sausage sauce

Spinach and ricotta gnocchi with tomato and sausage sauce

Spinach and ricotta gnocchi with tomato and sausage sauce

Ingredients:

1kg ricotta cheese

250g spinach (fresh or frozen)

2 cups grated Parmesan (and extra for sprinkling)

1/2 tbsp nutmeg

1/2 cup flour (and extra for sprinkling)

4 medium eggs

Salt to taste

For the sauce:

6 tbsp olive oil

4 large sausages

1 large onion, chopped

4 large garlic cloves, minced

1 tin whole tomatoes

Tomato puree

Bunch of parsley

2 small bay leaves

2 tsp dried basil

2 tsp dried oregano

Place the ricotta cheese in a sieve over a bowl and leave to drain for at least an hour (or leave in the fridge overnight).

In the meantime, make the sauce: heat oil in a large pot, add the sausage, onion and garlic, and sauté for 10 minutes. Then add the tomatoes and herbs, bring the sauce to the boil, then cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Finely chop the spinach and put in a bowl along with the drained ricotta. Add the eggs, Parmesan and nutmeg and mix it all together until well combined. Stir in 1/4 cup of flour; add more flour if the mixture is very wet.

Next, dust a baking tray with a lot of flour. Then using a pastry bag, pipe 4cm balls of the mixture onto the tray, and sprinkle flour over each ball of gnocchi.

Boil a large pot of salted water, reduce the heat to a simmer and carefully drop in the gnocchi one by one.

Cook the gnocchi for about 3-5 minutes until they float and swell. Remove immediately and serve with the tomato sausage sauce.