Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 6 oz. Italian sausage or ground meat
- 2 cups chopped spring onion
- 3 garlic cloves or scapes, minced
- 7 cups diced tomatoes in juice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 3/4 lb. spinach
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb. ricotta cheese
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup very lightly packed basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4-1/2 cup grated cheese
Directions
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Place a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Melt the 1 tablespoon of butter in skillet and add spinach a bit at a time until it all fits into the pan. Season with sea salt and pepper and cook until completely wilted and most of the liquid has cooked off. Remove from pan and set in a clean towel-lined sieve placed over a bowl.
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Pour off any additional liquid and return skillet to a medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons cooking fat and sausage or ground meat. If using ground meat season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until browned and fat is rendered. Add onion and sauté a few minutes or until tender. Add garlic and sauté one more minute.
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Pour in tomatoes, turn heat to medium, and bring to a simmer. Lower heat and simmer 20-30 minutes, or until sauce is nice and thick. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
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Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Take the spinach that is draining in a towel-lined sieve, lift all four corners of towel to form a handle. Twist towel ends, squeezing spinach out over the sink until all signs of liquid are gone. This could take several minutes, but it is the most important step so it is worth the effort.
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Pour off any liquid from the bowl beneath the towel-lined sieve. Add the squeezed spinach to this bowl along with ricotta, minced garlic, parmesan, minced basil leaves, and parsley. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Once well-seasoned add the beaten egg and mix well.
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Once both the sauce and the filling are ready it is time to assemble the dish for baking. Form little balls with your hands out of 1-2 tablespoons of cheese mixture. Place cheese ―balls‖ closely together in tomato sauce-filled skillet with about 1/4—1/2 coming above the edge of the sauce. You will probably have to tuck the last few in here and there so don’t worry too much about them overlapping.
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Dot the dish all over with bits of the 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle with 1/4—1/2 cup of cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until the cheese turns golden brown.