Having a ball

I have to say, first up, how much better I feel since making the shift to not eating meat.  My body feels cleaner and lighter and guilt free.  I know it’s not for everyone, but for me it’s good, and we might even save some money eating this way.

Last night I made spinach and ricotta dumplings in tomato sauce and it was a knockout.

It is a 2 part recipe, but you could easily use a store-bought jar of Passata and just make the dumplings.

SPINACH AND RICOTTA DUMPLINGS IN TOMATO SAUCE (serves 4 adults)

Step 1

Spinach and ricotta dumplings

• 500 g of frozen spinach (thawed and chopped finely)
• 350 g ricotta cheese
• 5 oz parmesan cheese
• 3 or 4 eggs
• dash of nutmeg
• 5 oz plain flour (and some more for rolling the balls in)
• salt and pepper to taste.

Combine all ingredients and mix really well.  Put the mixture in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up (you really do need to so this)

In the meantime make a tomato sauce (or open your jar of passata)

Step 2

Tomato sauce

• 3 cloves of garlic sliced thinly
• 2 cans of chopped tomatoes
• 1tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• olive oil
• torn basil leaves

Fry garlic in olive oil until soft, add cans of tomatoes, salt and sugar and cook over moderate heat until sauce has reduced by 1/3. Continue if you like it really thick.  When sauce is how you  like it add a decent slug of olive oil (believe me it makes all the difference) and tip into baking (or serving) dish

Step 3

After one hour has passed – take your prepared mix out of the fridge.  Roll into small balls – about the size of a macadamia nut.  It is easier to do this if you dust the bench with flour as the mixture is a bit sticky.  The dumplings seem to hold their shape better if you do this.

Boil a pot of salted water and drop the balls into the water.  They are cooked when they rise to the surface (approx 2 minutes).  Remove them as they rise with a slotted spoon and drop them into your sauce.  Try not to overcrowd the pot with balls cooking – they don’t take long, and it’s kind of fun watching them bob to the surface as you go.  Drop 10 in, remove 5, drop another 5 etc..

Step 4

Put in the oven for 10 minutes to reheat a little.  Cover with breadcrumbs and parmesan if you like.  I think you could even prepare it earlier in the day and reheat when you are ready – which is what I’m doing for lunch today.

Thumbs up from every member of my family – even the ones who don’t like ‘green’ foods.  Filling, low carb, healthy and vego.

edited to add:  The reheat was fab – I added some home rolled Labne (blogging that next week) and chilli dukkah to spice it up a bit. Delish!