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Strangolapreti trentini
Spinach and bread gnocchi
Strangolapreti: Trento's spinach and bread gnocchi with sage butter
ItalianThe name means priest-stranglers, and in Trento they like to say it dates from the Council of the 1500s, when visiting clergy ate these little green gnocchi so greedily they nearly choked. Thrifty and simple, they are made from stale bread soaked in milk and beaten with spinach or chard, egg and grated cheese, then poached and rolled in sage butter. Expect a soft, tender dumpling with a fresh green flavour, found on trattoria menus across Trentino in autumn and winter. Chef's tip: chop the spinach as finely as you can, almost to a purée, for smooth gnocchi that hold together.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the gnocchi
- 10 ½ oz stale white breadcrusts removed, torn
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 ⅜ oz Grana Padanograted; usually made with animal rennet; or a vegetarian hard cheese
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 ⅜ oz plain flour
To serve
- 1 tbsp saltfor the cooking water
- 2 ⅞ oz butter
- 10 leaves fresh sage
- 1 ⅜ oz Grana Padanograted; usually made with animal rennet; or a vegetarian hard cheese
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Crumble 10 ½ oz stale white bread into a bowl, pour over ¾ cup whole milk and leave for 20 minutes, until completely soft.
20 minStep 2: Blanch 1 ⅛ lb fresh spinach or Swiss chard leaves in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain, cool and squeeze out every drop of water. Chop very finely.
2 minStep 3: Add the spinach, 2 eggs, 1 ⅜ oz Grana Padano, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg and ¾ tsp salt to the bread and beat with a wooden spoon to a soft, even green paste.
Step 4: Stir in 1 ⅜ oz plain flour. The mix should hold a shape on a spoon. Common mistake: skipping the test; poach one small gnocco first and, if it breaks up, add a little more flour.
Step 5: Roll walnut-sized pieces between floured palms into short ovals, about 4 cm long, and set on a floured tray.
Step 6: Bring a large pan of water to a gentle boil with 1 tbsp salt. Cook the gnocchi in batches for 3–4 minutes, until they rise and stay at the surface for 1 minute.
4 minStep 7: Meanwhile melt 2 ⅞ oz butter with 10 leaves fresh sage in a wide pan over a medium heat for 3 minutes, until foaming and the sage crisps.
3 minStep 8: Lift the gnocchi into the butter with a slotted spoon, toss gently and serve with 1 ⅜ oz Grana Padano.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does strangolapreti trentini take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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