a random bit of spinach ricotta gnudi

There is such a thing as too much ricotta. For instance, you could buy a large amount for a dinner party that needs to be postponed or, in my case, a recipe test that gets put off. When you find yourself in either situation, you could always do as I did: thaw a package of frozen spinach and squeeze as much liquid out as possible. Mix it, the ricotta, two egg yolks, some seasoning (salt, pepper and a little nutmeg is traditional) and a little flour together. Take a tablespoon of your mixture and using floured hands, roll them into little, logs (imperfect ones are just fine), drop them into a small bowl of flour to keep them from sticking and place them on a baking sheet as you go.

Drop the finished batch into boiling, salted water and rescue them with a slotted spoon when they float to the top. You can transfer them into a waiting butter and sage sauce, but I prefer sauce of fried shallots swimming in olive oil spiked with lots of lemon. Your call.