Gnocchi are Italian dumplings. Classic gnocchi are made with potatoes and flour, but there are variations, like these considerably lighter Florentine gnocchi made with spinach and ricotta. I serve them with a simple marinara sauce. They are also good simply tossed with a little butter or olive oil and sage.
This is perhaps the most famous recipe created by Marcella Hazan, the cookbook author who changed how Americans cook Italian food. It also may be her easiest. Use your favorite canned tomatoes for this and don’t be scared off by the butter. It gives the sauce an unparalleled velvety richness.
Martha Rose Shulman's recipes are all so good!