Light and lovely, thanks to the homemade ricotta, these dumplings have a deep spinach flavor that needs little more than a simple sage-butter sauce. Serve as a first course or for a special lunch.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. fresh spinach, stemmed
• 2/3 cup homemade ricotta (drained 30 minutes to 2 hours) or good quality purchased ricotta
• 2-1/2 oz. (2-1/2 cups) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2-1/4 oz. (1/2 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 6 fresh sage leaves

Preparation

1. Cook the spinach in a large pot of boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, let cool, and then wring out excess liquid in a clean cloth. Finely chop and transfer to a large bowl.
2. Add the ricotta, 1-1/4 cups of the Parmigiano, the egg, nutmeg, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper, and mix well.
3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Put the flour in a wide shallow bowl. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of the spinach mixture in the flour to form 1-inch balls. Transfer to the baking sheet.
4. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Roll each gnocchi in the flour again to fully coat it (do not shake off excess flour); this helps keep them intact during cooking. Lightly oil a warm bowl. In batches of 8 to 10, simmer the gnocchi until they float, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to the bowl.
5. Meanwhile, in a 10-inch skillet, cook the butter over medium-low heat until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the sage and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Drizzle the butter over the gnocchi, top with the remaining Parmigiano, and serve.

Make Ahead Tips

Once shaped, the gnocchi can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 4 hours before cooking.