Spinach Dumpling Roll

Name: Spinach Dumpling Roll
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Red potatoes floury 1.9 lbs; Type 00 flour 2.8 cups; Eggs 1; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Spinach 20 cups; Prosciutto cotto thin slices 7.1 oz; Grana Padano PDO cheese 3.5 oz; Garlic 1 clove; Butter (optional) 3 ½ tbsp; Type 00 flour to taste

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Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 45 min
Serving: 6
Cost: Low
Note plus 4 hours of rest in the refrigerator

PRESENTATION

Hey, if you're after a classic Northern Italian dish that's sure to impress, gnoccone agli spinaci is where it's at. And here's the thing, this isn’t just your regular gnocchi. Nope, it's different. The dough? Rolled out and filled with tender spinach, savory cooked ham, and lots of Grana Padano cheese. Really, it's a favorite in places like Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. Perfect for special family gatherings—because it looks amazing and tastes even better.

You'll get all those beloved Italian spinach dumplings flavors, but in a big, satisfying roll. Slice it up and everyone gets to enjoy. After a quick bake, the top turns golden and crispy, which is awesome—fancy vibes without the hassle. Seriously, it's one of those dishes that looks impressive on the table but is actually pretty simple. And you know what? You can even prepare it ahead of time.

What's cool about this spinach dumpling recipe is its rich flavor and kid-friendly appeal. You can totally tweak the filling to suit your taste—swap Grana Padano for smoked scamorza cheese for a richer, moist bite, or go with speck instead of regular ham for a touch of smokiness. These traditional Italian dumplings are perfect for any occasion—Sunday lunch, a potluck, or a cozy weeknight dinner.

When you slice through the soft roll, you'll see all those creamy layers inside, and the mix of flavors is spot on: the sweet spinach, the salty tang of cheese, and a hint of tangy meat if you choose speck. It’s way, way better than you might think. For fans of Italian dumpling recipes or those wanting a fresh twist on homemade spinach dumplings, this is it. And listen, it's the kind of meal that leaves everyone at the table feeling happy and full.

So why not give it a go and bring a bit of Northern Italy to your dining room? It’s sure to become a favorite. Honestly, can’t go wrong with this one.

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for two 10-inch rolls (1.65 lbs): Red potatoes 1.9 lbs (850 g) - floury; Type 00 flour 2.8 cups (350 g); Eggs 1; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

for the filling: Spinach 20 cups (600 g); Prosciutto cotto 7.1 oz (200 g) - thin slices; Grana Padano PDO cheese 3.5 oz (100 g); Garlic 1 clove; Butter 3 ½ tbsp (50 g) - (optional)

for the work surface: Type 00 flour to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Spinach Dumpling Roll

To prepare the spinach dumpling roll, start by boiling the potatoes with their skins in plenty of water 1 for about 20 minutes (or 10 minutes with a pressure cooker). Meanwhile, wash the spinach and place a pan on the stove with a drizzle of oil and the garlic clove 2, let the oil take on the flavor (remove the garlic if you don't like it), add the cleaned spinach 3 and sauté them in the pan,

cover the pan with a lid and cook for a few minutes until the spinach is well-cooked 4. Drain the spinach with a sieve 5; they must be very dry to prevent them from releasing water. Salt them and let them cool. Now focus on the potatoes: once cooked 6,

peel them while still hot 7 and mash them with a food mill 8 or a potato masher, collecting them in a bowl. Add the sifted flour 9, salt, and pepper and

knead by hand 10, incorporate the whole egg 11, continue kneading until you get a workable dough 12. Knead quickly, always keeping the surface floured.

With a rolling pin, roll out the dough on a sheet of parchment paper 13 until it forms a rectangle measuring 8 inches x 11 inches 14. Place the spinach on top, leaving about 0.6 inches of space from the edge 15.

Then lay the slices of ham 16 and season with grated Grana Padano 17. Now fold the spinach dumpling roll from the longer side 18

and roll it tightly 19, wrap it in plastic wrap 20 and let it rest in the refrigerator for about 4 hours. After this time, remove the plastic wrap and wrap the spinach dumpling roll in parchment paper, poke holes with a skewer 21 and wrap the roll in muslin (a very light fabric ideal for cooking foods)

tie the two ends of the fabric with kitchen string 22 and cook the spinach dumpling roll in salted boiling water for about 30 minutes 23. If you don't have muslin, you can wrap the roll in aluminum foil and proceed in the same way. Once cooked, let the roll cool, cut it into slices about 0.4 inches thick 24

and place it in a slightly oiled baking dish 25. Sprinkle with grated Grana Padano 26 and, if you prefer, with melted butter. Let gratin in a preheated oven at 392°F for about 15 minutes until the surface of the slices is golden. Your spinach dumpling roll is now ready to be enjoyed.

Storage

You can store the roll in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for 3-4 days (better if whole). You can freeze the roll, whole or in slices, after boiling; once thawed, cut it into slices (if whole) and bake to gratinate.

Advice

I love gnocchi, and cooking this dish was both a torment and a wonder: a torment because I was impatient to eat it (and until we photographed it, I couldn't), and a wonder because when I finally took a bite, what a spectacle! This is my favorite version, but I assure you, no one will hold back if you personalize the filling with your favorite deli meats, cheeses, and vegetables! Finally, for a true spinach triumph, I recommend preparing the base dough like that for green gnocchi: delicious!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.