Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [109]
With a grater: Lay a flat, wide-hole grater over the pot of boiling water like a bridge. Pour some of the batter onto the grater, then wipe it across the holes with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula so that the dough falls into the water in little round bits. Wipe in the direction of least resistance, not against the sharp edges.
With a cutting board and a knife: Pour a little of the batter onto a small, stiff cutting board. Hold this over the boiling water, then use a knife to cut off tiny pieces of the batter, separating them from the larger mass and wiping them off the board’s side and into the boiling water with a clean, swift swipe.
Stir well, then cook the spaetzle just until they float to the top of the water plus about 5 seconds. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon, drain over the pot, then place them in a colander in the sink to await the full batch. Repeat this whole process from step 3 with the remaining dough, working in batches.
Spinach and Cheese
Dumplings
These dumplings are formed into little ovals, like mini quenelles. Toss them with the Cream Sauce, the Alfredo Sauce, or the Gorgonzola Sauce. Or make a simple tomato sauce like the Marinara Sauce, toss in the dumplings, pour the mixture into a baking dish, and bake in a preheated 350°F oven until bubbling, about 25 minutes. Makes 6 servings
One 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of all moisture
¾ cup ricotta, regular or low-fat (do not use fat-free)
3 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or more as needed
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until fairly smooth, like a thick paste. Add a little more flour if necessary—but do not add enough that the mixture turns into a dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Scoop out rounded teaspoonfuls of the cold spinach mixture; use a second teaspoon to make an egg-shaped dumpling, passing it between the teaspoons until it’s correctly formed. Drop the dumpling into the simmering water. Make about 8 more dumplings using this method; stir well in the pot. Cook until they float and are puffed, turning them in the water with a wooden spoon a few times, about 10 minutes.
Remove the dumplings from the water with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel–lined plate. Repeat the process with the remaining batter until all the dumplings are made.
To store: The dumplings can be tossed with a little fine-ground cornmeal, sealed in a plastic bag, and stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Gnocchi
Open a bottle of wine and get your friends rolling these traditional potato dumplings. Serve with the Marinara Sauce, the Alfredo Sauce, or the Gorgonzola Sauce, or with Clams and Cherry Tomatoes Sauce. In fact, they’ll go with just about any of the cooked sauces except the heavy ragùs. Makes 4 servings
2 pounds Russet potatoes, scrubbed (see Note)
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons salt
1 to 1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
Position the rack in the center of the oven, then preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the potatoes in the center of the rack and bake until soft, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack just until they can be handled easily, about 10 minutes.
Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the white insides into a potato ricer. Press the flesh into a large bowl. Alternatively, scoop the insides into a large bowl and lightly mash them with a fork, just until broken up into small bits, not until smooth.
Stir in the egg yolks and salt with a fork. Add 1 cup flour and stir just until a dough begins to form.
Lightly flour a clean work surface, dump the contents of the bowl onto it, and knead until smooth but still slightly sticky,