Spinach Maultaschen

Step 1: Knead 14 oz plain flour (or Italian 00), 4 eggs, 1 tbsp sunflower oil and ½ tsp salt into a firm, smooth dough, adding 2 tbsp water only if it won't come together. Knead for 8–10 minutes until silky. Wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Step 2: Tear the crusts off 2 stale white bread rolls, cut into small pieces and soak in ½ cup milk for 10 minutes, then squeeze dry.

Step 3: Wilt 1 ⅓ lb fresh spinach in a large pan over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes. Tip into a sieve, cool, then squeeze out every drop of water with your hands and chop finely. Wet spinach is the usual reason the filling turns soggy.

Step 4: Melt ⅔ oz butter in a small pan over a medium heat and cook 1 onion for 5 minutes until soft. Mix with the spinach, squeezed bread, 4 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, 5 ½ oz quark or ricotta, 2 ⅛ oz Emmental or other hard cheese (vegetarian rennet), 1 egg, ¾ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper and ¼ tsp ground nutmeg. It should hold its shape on a spoon.

Step 5: Divide the dough in two. Roll each half on a floured surface (or through a pasta machine) into a long sheet about 1 mm thick and 25 cm wide.

Step 6: Spread half the filling along the lower half of each sheet in a 1 cm thick strip, leaving 2 cm at the edges. Brush the borders with 1 egg yolk, fold the top over and press firmly, pushing the air out.

Step 7: With the handle of a wooden spoon, press across the roll every 8 cm to seal the dough between the pockets, then cut through the marks with a knife. Pinch the cut edges together.

Step 8: Bring 6 ¼ cups vegetable stock to a gentle simmer in a wide pot (don't let it boil hard). Add the Maultaschen in batches and simmer for 10–12 minutes, until they float and the dough is tender at the folds.

Step 9: Serve 3–4 per bowl in a ladle of the broth, scattered with 3 tbsp chives. Leftovers are excellent cut into strips and fried in butter with sliced onion until crisp.