Italian cuisine · Soups & Stews

Zuppa di Spinaci e Ricotta

Velvety spinach soup with nutmeg, in which small ricotta and Parmesan dumplings are poached.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 800 g spinach
• 250 g ricotta
• 1 egg
• 60 g Parmesan
• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 l vegetable broth
• 150 ml cream
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Wash the spinach thoroughly and remove coarse stems, finely chop the onion and garlic; drain the ricotta in a sieve.
2. Heat olive oil in a pot, sauté the onion and garlic for 4 min until translucent, add the spinach in batches and let it wilt down.
3. Pour in the broth, simmer for 8 min, then purée very finely with a hand blender and stir in the cream; season boldly with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
4. For the dumplings, mix ricotta with egg, half the grated Parmesan, breadcrumbs, salt and a pinch of nutmeg into a moldable mixture and chill for 10 min.
5. Scoop small dumplings with two teaspoons and poach them in the now barely simmering soup for 5–6 min, until they rise to the surface.
6. Ladle the soup with the dumplings into warmed bowls, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and serve with a drizzle of olive oil.