Pronounced ‘nyoki’, these little Italian dumplings are eaten like pasta. Depending on the region, they can be made with flour, potatoes, semolina, breadcrumbs or even ricotta. There is also nothing like the taste of brown butter; add in some cream cheese and you have mouth-watering, budget-friendly, meat-free meal.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 40 min

INGREDIENTS
500g potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed
240g flour, plus extra to dust
2 eggs
Salt and cracked black pepper
180g cream cheese
¼ bunch spinach, chopped
50g butter

METHOD
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
2. Mix together the mashed potato, flour, eggs and a pinch of salt to form a soft dough.
3. Roll the dough into a 1½ cm thick sausage and cut into 2 cm long pieces. Flour your hands and roll each piece of dough into a ball. Press a floured fork against each ball to flatten it slightly and make ridges.
4. Melt the cream cheese in a pan, then add the chopped spinach and allow to wilt. Season.
5. Melt the butter in a pan until it turns dark golden and smells nutty.
6. Cook the gnocchi in salted boiling water for 2 minutes (until they rise to the top). Strain and add to the sauce.
7. Drizzle the butter over the gnocchi, season and serve.