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This is one of my favorite ways to eat spinach. BUT...I prefer to saute the garlic in the olive oil until slightly browned before adding the spinach. The garlic is infused into the olive oil and does not have that "raw" strong taste if done the other way. Here in Umbria, they also throw a small red pepper (hot) into the oil.

In the north, they use butter and olive oil-saute the garlic in the butter and olive oil until lightly browned-add your spinach and handful of pine nuts.

Leftovers of either version-add to cooked pasta, toss with a bit more olive oil, add fresh parmigiano or pecorino...BUONA!

Another great way to do this is to bake the garlic (whole, top cut, off drizzled with olive oil and coarse salt) until golden and very soft. After it's cooled from the oven, squeeze out the now soft garlic and use this to mix with your olive oil
and toss with your cooked spinach. I like to make this dish sometimes with a bit of finely chopped fennel or onion added to mix.

If you add shaves of parmisian cheese not grated over the spinach after being cooked in the oil and garlic, its to die for! Do this after cooked as the cheese should not be melted.

This is an excellent leftover recipe for your spinach garlic.

The �������� name for these easy-to-make, little dumplings is “strangolapreti,” which means “priest stranglers!” It’s a fanciful name that pokes fun at local priests who would come to dinner at a family’s house and eat greedily, gobbling down so much of this dish that they would be strangled by their own gluttony.

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces of leftover spinach and garlic, well drained
8 ounces ricotta cheese
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plain dry bread crumbs
1 large egg, beaten with 1 large egg yolk
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon plus 1 heaping tablespoon salt, preferably kosher
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick)
unsalted butter
6 fresh sage leaves, quartered

1. In a medium-size bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta, the 3/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, melted butter, flour, breadcrumbs, beaten eggs, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper. Mix well. Cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. In a stockpot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil.

3. While the water is heating, uncover the ricotta mixture. Scoop out 1 tablespoon of the mixture and quickly roll it into a ball. Flatten it slightly and place it on a piece of floured wax paper. Repeat with the rest of the mixture. Flour your hands while you work to avoid too much stickiness.

4. When the water comes to a boil, add the tablespoon of salt and drop in the dumplings. Boil for 5 minutes.

5. While the dumplings are boiling, in a small saucepan, melt the butter and add the sage.

6. Preheat the broiler.

7. Drain the dumplings, and transfer them to a flameproof 8 x 12-inch baking dish. Pour the butter and sage over them, and sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top. Put the dish under the broiler just to brown the tops, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.