Early February, icy-cold day. I find great spinach in the shops but little to go with it. I grab a bag of those factory-made vacuum-packed gnocchi that always make me feel as if I have just eaten a duvet. With cream, blue cheese, and spinach, they have a rib-sticking quality that would keep out arctic cold, let alone a bit of urban chill. Sometimes I just need food like this.

　　

Ingredients

enough for 2

　　vacuum-packed gnocchi – 1 pound (500g)

　　spinach leaves – 7 ounces (200g)

　　creamy Gorgonzola – 9 ounces (250g)

　　heavy cream – 3/4 cup (200ml)

　　a little Parmesan or pecorino

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Bring a deep pan of water to a boil and salt it generously. Drop the gnocchi into the water and cook until they float to the surface—a matter of a few minutes. Drain and set aside.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, wash the spinach and remove the stalks. With the leaves still dripping wet, put them into a thick-bottomed pan set over medium heat and cover with a lid. The leaves will cook in their own steam in a matter of seconds. They are ready when they are completely wilted and bright emerald green. Remove them from the pan and let them cool briefly before wringing them dry. Now tear them up a little and put them, in lumps if that is how they are, into an ovenproof gratin dish or shallow baking dish. It should be large enough for the gnocchi to fit snugly in one layer. Cut the Gorgonzola into pieces and tuck in among the spinach, then scatter over the gnocchi.

　　

Step 3

Season with salt and black pepper, pour the cream over the lot—it won’t quite cover everything, just sort of lap at the edges—then grate over a little Parmesan or pecorino, just enough so that you can see it. Bake until golden and bubbling—about thirty to thirty-five minutes. Serve piping hot.

　　Tender