Spinatknödel auf Tomatenragout (spinach dumplings on tomato ragout)
Full-sized spinach and ricotta dumplings poached gently and served over a chunky tomato ragout rather than a smooth sauce, so the ragout's vegetable pieces stay distinct against the soft dumplings. Wringing the spinach dry and letting the dumpling mixture rest before shaping are both necessary here, or the dumplings dissolve in the poaching water.
Prep35 min
Cook30 min
Rest25 min
Servings4
Christoph's spinach dumplings, the spinach wrung dry and the mixture rested before shaping, or the dumplings dissolve in the poaching water.
Ingredients
Written for a 4 L pot
Units
Temperature
Servings
Spinach dumplings
- 500 g fresh spinach, wilted, squeezed completely dry, chopped rounded
- 300 g ricotta, well drained rounded
- 2 eggs rounded
- 80 g semolina rounded
- 40 g grated hard cheese rounded
- 8 g fine salt rounded
- to taste freshly grated nutmeg rounded
Tomato ragout
- 150 g onion, finely chopped rounded
- 200 g zucchini, diced rounded
- 150 g red bell pepper, diced rounded
- 2 garlic cloves rounded
- 30 ml olive oil rounded
- 500 g chopped tomatoes rounded
- 5 g dried oregano rounded
- to taste fine salt rounded
Dietary labels are a guide, not a guarantee. If you have an allergy, read the ingredients yourself.
Method
- Combine the wrung-dry spinach, ricotta, eggs, semolina, cheese, salt and nutmeg in a bowl, mixing to an even, slightly firm dough. Rest 25 minutes; the semolina needs this time to absorb moisture.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a pot and sweat the onion, zucchini, pepper and garlic for 6 minutes, until softened.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and oregano. Simmer 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but still holding their shape and the sauce has thickened. Season with salt.
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a bare simmer. Shape the dumpling mixture into 8 balls with wet hands and lower them in gently.
- Poach 15 minutes, until they float and feel firm when pressed. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain briefly.
- Spoon the tomato ragout onto plates and top with the dumplings.
Notes
- Wring the spinach completely dry; any remaining water makes the dumpling mixture too wet, and it dissolves in the poaching water instead of holding together.
- Let the mixture rest the full 25 minutes before shaping. Skipping the rest leaves the semolina still absorbing moisture as the dumplings poach, which risks them falling apart.
- Poach at a bare simmer, never a rolling boil. A hard boil knocks the dumplings apart.
- The ragout keeps for 4 days in the fridge; the dumplings are best poached fresh, though leftover dumplings reheat reasonably in a covered pan with the ragout.
Ingredient substitutions
- Ricotta can be well-drained quark for a slightly firmer, tangier dumpling.
- Zucchini and pepper can be any vegetables that hold their shape through a 20 minute simmer; aubergine works well.
- Grated hard cheese scattered over the finished dish is a good, optional finishing touch.
From Christoph Mayer