Homemade Spinach Gnocchi with Lamb Ragu Recipe from Abruzzo.
Delicious homemade spinach and potato gnocchi together with a traditional lamb ragu is a recipe from Abruzzo in Central Italy that is perfect for Sundays and holidays, particularly Easter. You can prepare both the gnocchi and the ragu in advance and freeze for another day.
- Prep time
- 45 min
- Cook time
- 2 hr
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 400 g lamb (boneless leg or shoulder) ((14oz) cut into pieces/chunks)
- 400 g tomato passata ((14oz))
- 10-12 datterini or cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
- 50 g lardo ((2oz) cured pig back fat not lard or guanciale)
- 1 onion (peeled and sliced)
- 2 garlic cloves (peeled and chopped)
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1/2 glass red wine
- 1/2 fresh peperoncino (red chili pepper) (chopped seeds removed (or 1/2 tsp flakes))
- 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
- salt (to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper. (to taste)
- 1 kg potatoes ((2.2 lbs) use starchy and dry potatoes like russets)
- 4-500 g Italian '00' flour ((14-17oz) You can also use AP flour or gluten free.)
- 2 eggs
- 50 g spinach ((2oz) cooked)
- 1 pinch salt
- durum wheat semolina flour (for dusting or rice flour.)
Instructions
- 1
Remove any excess fat from the lamb and cut it into very small pieces. Chop the lardo into small pieces. Peel and finely slice the onion. Peel and chop the garlic. Wash and cut the cherry tomatoes in halves. Remove the seeds and chop the peperoncino (if using)
- 2
Sauté the lardo with the onion and garlic in a heavy saucepan or skillet with the olive oil and the chili. I used my Dutch oven.
- 3
When the onion is soft, add the lamb and rosemary. Brown the lamb over a high heat, stirring often. As soon as it is well browned, add the wine and simmer until the alcohol evaporates. Add the tomatoes and let them soften a little. Then add the passata. Mix everything together well.
- 4
Cover and cook over low heat for about 90 minutes Add salt and pepper to taste and when necessary, a few tablespoons of hot water if the sauce seems too dry.
- 5
Boil the unpeeled potatoes in salted water. When tender drain them and press through a potato ricer into a bowl or peel them and mash in a bowl. Let them cool a little.
- 6
Wash the spinach and wilt in a pan on a low heat. Drain and then chop finely. I use a fine tea towel to squeeze as much liquid out of the spinach as possible. Add the spinach to the potatoes, together with 2 eggs, a pinch of salt and 400 g flour.
- 7
Mix the dough ingredients together with a fork and/or your hands and then turn out onto a well-floured pastry board (I use durum wheat semolina flour for dusting). Knead until you have a homogenous dough. Don’t knead too much. The dough doesn’t want to be too compact. Add more flour if you need to. Roll the dough into a ball and then ‘cut’ off half a tablespoon at a time to make your gnocchi.
- 8
Roll the piece of dough between the palms of your hands to form a slightly elongated shape. Place the ready spinach gnocchi on a well-floured tray or sheet of baking paper until you have finished making them all. I use durum wheat semolina flour here too. You can also use a teaspoon for smaller gnocchi. In Abruzzo, surgitt are usually smaller.
- 9
Cook the gnocchi in boiling salted water. Once they rise to the surface, taste one for doneness and then remove with a slotted spoon and add to the ragu. If the ragu seems dry add a little of the gnocchi cooking water. Mix everything together carefully. Plate and serve with grated pecorino.