Baked Gnocchi with Spinach and Goat Cheese

I've been wanting to make this dish ever since I got Giada's pasta cookbook last winter. I'd planned to wait until the weather got colder to make it, since it seems like the perfect cold weather comfort food, but I just couldn't wait any longer. We're having good luck with Andrew and spinach lately, and I want to take advantage of it while it lasts.

We all really enjoyed this, and I thought it was definitely worth the wait. It's a hearty, filling vegetarian entree with tons of flavor, and it really couldn't be easier to prepare. I can't speak to how it works at leftovers, because there weren't any in our house -- we all had two helpings. Andrew liked the gnocchi so much that I've made it for him twice since -- once with cheese sauce, and once with marinara. I think it may be his new favorite food!

Baked Gnocchi with Spinach and Goat Cheese
source: adapted from Everyday Pasta by Giada de Laurentiis

1 17-ounce package potato gnocchi

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/8 cup all purpose flour

Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of nutmeg

6 ounces baby spinach

2 ounces goat cheese

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place gnocchi in a lightly greased 8 x 8 inch baking dish and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, whisk together cream, broth, and flour over medium heat. Continue whisking until the sauce is simmering and thickened, about 5 minutes.

3. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg, and stir to combine. Add spinach and toss to coat in the cream. Pour the cream and spinach mixture over the gnocchi evenly, spreading the spinach out to cover all the potato dumplings.

4. Crumble goat cheese over the spinach. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake until the top is golden in places, about 30 minutes.