At Elizabeth David's Table, not Jenny's :)

Today we are dipping for the first time in to a book written in honour of the late, great, Elizabeth David.  I had been aware she was a 'Food Hero (ine)' of the likes of Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Rose Gray etc but had never really come across any of her books until last year when her very best everyday recipes were compiled into the book At Elizabeth David's Table.  Complete with lovely pictures, which are absent in her original books. So of course I had to have it!

So after my first succesful foray into the wonderful world of Gnocchi with the Ricotta Gnocchi I was keen to try out more and came across today's recipe in the above book. It was not a disappointment, in fact it was very lovely and I wanted to share it....

GNOCCHI VERDI

Serves 4 as starter/ 3 as lunch.

Start making this the day before you want to eat it!

250g spinach cooked, drained well and patted dry, chopped finely. (original recipe says 500g but as I only had 250g I went with that and it worked and can't see how you would need more!)

250g ricotta

2 eggs

3tbs flour

45g grated parmesan

butter,salt, pepper and freshly ground nutmeg

to finish -

60g butter and plenty parmesan

Put your cooked spinach in a pan with the ricotta and a knob of butter and season well with the salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Stir all the ingredients together over a low flame for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, beat in the eggs, flour and parmesan. Leave in the fridge overnight.

When your ready to use, flour a board and roll out your mixture and shape into Gnocchi. It's quite a soft dough so take small amounts at a time to work with, makes life easier.  When they are ready drop into simmering salted water and cook till they rise to the top. Do it in batches rather than overcrowding your pan.  Have an ovenproof dish ready with 30g melted butter and a light sprinkling of parmesan and drop your Gnocchi into it as they are ready.  Once all are done dot another 30g butter over the top and a generous sprinkling of parmesan.  Put in a warm oven for 5 mins and if you want a crispier finish just pop under the grill for a minute or too after they are out the oven.

Enjoy, we did, will be making this one again too!