For the Dumplings:
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup milk
1 T olive oil
¼ cup grated Pecorino cheese
2 T parsley, finely chopped
For the Grass:
6 cups packed chopped spinach, well rinsed
Parsley stems from the parsley used above
½ cup fresh or frozen peas
½ cup heavy cream
Garnish:
½ cup edible flowers
2 T chopped fresh dill
shaved pecorino romano cheese
1 T toasted pine nuts
Sift the flours, salt, baking powder, and cheese into a bowl.
Stir the egg, milk, olive oil, and parsley into the flours and mix with a fork. If the dough is too wet, add more flour.
Make the dumplings by forming them with two spoons (watch the demo), and then placing them on a floured surface.
Bring a pot of water to a boil, and then blanch the spinach in the water for about 30 seconds. Scoop out of the water into an ice bath, and reserve the cooking water.
Blend the spinach, parsley stems, and 1 cup of the cooking water in a blender on high speed until thoroughly blended, then strain into a pot.
Bring the spinach liquid to a boil, and simmer until reduced slightly. Pour in the cream and keep simmering to reduce even further.
Add the peas towards the end, and just cook them until they are cooked through.
You do not want such a thick sauce at the end, so stop reducing the liquid once it has thickened slightly, but is still soupy.
Poach the dumplings in either simmering chicken broth or reserved spinach cooking water.
Ladle the green soup into wide bowls, then add the dumplings, about 4 per person, and then arrange the fresh dill and edible flowers around them. Serve with the Pecorino.
Makes 20 dumplings.
