Makes 30 gnudi, serves 4 as a main course or 6 as a starter

12 ounces fresh spinach

8 ounces whole milk ricotta (drained)

1 egg yolk

½ cup finely grated Parmesan

½ cup flour

½ to ¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

pepper to taste

½ stick salted butter

6 large fresh sage leaves

Cook fresh spinach in a large pot until wilted. Allow to cool; squeeze to remove water.

Chop it finely in a food processor. Mix together in a bowl with ricotta, egg yolk, Parmesan, flour, salt, nutmeg and pepper.

Form small dumplings with your hands, using about 2 teaspoons mixture per dumpling. (Tightly pack the mixture so that it won’t break up in the water.) Place gnudi on a floured surface, making sure they don’t touch each other.

Heat a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat; add the gnudi, in batches, being careful not to crowd them.

After gnudi float to the surface, cook, 2-4 minutes. Lift them out with a slotted spoon; transfer to a warm serving dish coated with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Repeat with remaining gnudi.

Meanwhile, for the sauce, melt butter with sage leaves in a large skillet.

Toss the cooked gnudi in the butter sauce. Serve, sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan.

Adapted from “The Italian Cooking Course” by Katie Caldesi.