Supergreen gnocchi

Crispy, soft, plump, chunky, rough dumplings – I think we can all get on board.

This is a recipe that might take a little more effort, but you’ll be duly rewarded. Perfect for guest or as special weekend meal, there’s no downside to these better-for-you gnocchi – or gnudi – balls of delight. Send (G)nudis stat.

Ingredients

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) frozen spinach,
• Kale or any other leafy green
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) fresh ricotta (the deli kind in a basket because it’s drier)
• 4 eggs, lightly whisked
• 1 cup (100 g) finely grated parmesan
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1 cup (150 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
• Semolina, for sprinkling
• ¼ cup (50 g) buckwheat veg oil, for frying
• 11⁄2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 30 g (1 oz) rocket (arugula)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 100 g (3½ oz) halloumi, grated
• 2 tablespoons finely grated
• Lemon zest

Method

1. If you are undone by the sin* of conveniently prepared frozen spinach, then you could always de-spine, cook, squeeze and chop fresh if you like. You’ll need approximately 75 kg (165 lb) of fresh leaves to yield 2 cups once wilted (estimating the weight of cooked-down leafy greens from a fresh bunch is pointless).
2. Thaw, squeeze and chop the greens in a food processor or with a knife. The blitzing level is up to you. The leafier bits are harder to roll, but rude, nude and rustic is what’s so great about these gnudi, so I blitz for a bit, remove half and purée the rest.
3.  Reunite the spinach in a bowl and add in the ricotta, eggs, parmesan, nutmeg and flour. Mix well to combine.
4. You can add herbs, garlic or zest to the dumplings but I like to boss my dinner about not the other way around. Keep it simple and you can whip this out of the freezer anytime. Pick your flavours then.
5. Prep a tray or plastic container with baking paper so you can layer these. Have a small bowl of semolina for sprinkling at the ready.
6. Using two tablespoons, one to scoop and one to scrape, shape the dough into little dumplings and dollop them onto the tray.** Sprinkle a bit of semolina over them as you go to prevent them sticking to each other.***
7. Fry the buckwheat in 1 cm (1⁄2 inch) veg oil in a small saucepan overhigh heat. They will get crispy and some will puff like mini popcorn in less than 10 seconds. Scoop these buckinis out onto paper towel and set aside.
8. You can cook (fresh or frozen) gnudi just as you would gnocchi, in plenty of simmering salted water, scooping them out as they float and tossing with your fave sauce, but my preference is to cook them like potstickers. Choose a non-stick frying pan that can hold as many serves as you’d like to make in a single layer – usually about 20 would be the most! Heat 1½ tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and place the gnudi in a single layer with a bit of space between each one.
9. As they begin to sizzle, add some water so that it comes halfway up the side of the dumplings. Cover the pan with a lid and allow it to simmer for 5–8 minutes. Listen  for a change in fry sound from watery bubble to oily sizzle. Gently toss and loosen the gnudi and push to the side. Add the butter and, when it foams, add the garlic, chilli and rocket. Toss the whole lot for a few minutes, until the garlic softens slightly, then add in the lemon juice for a final stir through. Cover in halloumi, lemon zest and buckinis before serving.

* Not at all a sin: frozen spinach is highly nutritious and delicious!

** If you have neither skill nor patience for quenelling, then you could pipe the dumplings onto the tray using a snaplock bag with the corner snipped o.

*** To freeze gnudi, arrange the freezer so you can slide the entire tray in, then after 4 hours you can move them into a snap-lock bag.