These are my favourite dumplings. The origins are a bit sketchy but the name means priest stranglers. The story goes that a gluttonous priest in Florence swallowed the dumpling whole, choked as a result and hence the name.
Don’t worry these dumplings are so soft and delectable, there won’t be any choking only wanting more!!!
INGREDIENTS
500 grams ricotta, drained
200 grams Parmesan cheese, finely grated
½ nutmeg, grated
600 grams of spinach, leaves only
1 egg
2 egg yolks
Flour to bind
For Sugo
2 whole onions, about 400 grams, finely chopped
200ml extra virgin olive oil
2 x 400 grams tins of Italian tomatoes
Salt and pepper
METHOD
To make sugo
Heat oil in a heavy based pot. Add onions and turn heat down to low. Cook until translucent.
Add tomatoes and season, and cook until jam like. This will take about 80 – 90 minutes. It may look a bit split and oily. Use a stick blender and blitz until well combined.
To make strozzopretti
In a large bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan and grated nutmeg.
Wash and blanch the spinach. Drain this, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible. (If you don’t take effort to squeeze, your dumpling will not form well) Roughly chop the spinach and combine with the ricotta mix.
Make a well in the centre and add eggs and a handful of flour. Mix all together and check consistency, adding more flour if necessary until it is dough like and you are able to roll into balls.
Roll into golf ball sized dumplings with wet hands. Poach these in lightly simmering salted water with olive oil until they rise to the surface.
To serve, place hot tomato sugo in base of bowls. Divide strozzapretti among bowls. Serve with shaved Parmesan and crusty sour dough bread.