GNUDI - Tuscan ricotta and spinach dumplings in sage butter

Name: GNUDI - Tuscan ricotta and spinach dumplings in sage butter
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean, European
Ingredients: 250g ricotta; 250g spinach; 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 clove garlic crushed; 1 large egg; 35g freshly grated Parmesan cheese; 1 pinch salt plus more for the boiling water; Freshly grated toasted black pepper to taste; 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; 50g plain flour; 3 tbsp semolina for dusting and rolling; 80g butter; 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil; Freshly grated toasted black pepper to taste; 1 pinch salt; 2 tbsp dried sage

13 steps

Prep:15minCook:5min

A classic recipe from Tuscany, gnudi are ricotta-based dumplings, larger, lighter and softer than their potato-based cousins, the gnocchi. Gnudi is the Tuscan word for for naked, as the mix that makes the gnudi is very similar to ravioli filling, hence making them “nude ravioli”. This recipe makes 14 gnudi, that will be 2 reasonable size portions. You can make the gnudi ahead of time; raw gnudi keep for up to 2 days in the fridge or up to 2 months if frozen.

Updated at: Mon, 25 Nov 2024 14:30:21 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Unbalanced

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

High

Nutrition per serving

Calories837.4 kcal (42%)

Total Fat61.4 g (88%)

Carbs46.3 g (18%)

Sugars0.8 g (1%)

Protein28 g (56%)

Sodium708.4 mg (35%)

Fiber5.1 g (18%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

2 servings

For the gnudi (makes 14)

250gricotta

250gspinach

1 Tbspextra virgin olive oil

0.5 clovegarlic

crushed

1egg

large

35gparmesan cheese

freshly grated

1 pinchsalt

plus more for the boiling water

black pepper

Freshly grated, toasted, to taste

¼ teaspoonnutmeg

freshly grated

50gplain flour

3 Tbspsemolina

for dusting and rolling

For the sauce

80gbutter

1 Tbspextra virgin olive oil

black pepper

Freshly grated, toasted, to taste

1 pinchsalt

2 Tbspdried sage

Instructions

Step 1

Put the ricotta in a thin sieve and let it drain any excess water. Depending on how wet the ricotta is, this can take between 20 minutes and 2 hours.

Sieve

ricotta250g

Step 2

Add a splash of olive oil to a large non stick frying pan on medium heat, add the garlic and fry for 1 minute to flavour the oil. Add the spinach leaves and a splash of water, and cook the spinach covered, stirring regularly until wilted. Make sure that the pan is never completely dry to prevent the spinach burning. When wilted, season the spinach, remove it from the pan and put it to the side to cool down.

Frying Pan

Lid

Wooden Spoon

spinach250g

extra virgin olive oil1 Tbsp

garlic0.5 clove

Step 3

Once the spinach has cooled down, squish little balls of it with your hand to extract as much water as possible. Place the drained spinach on a chopping board and chop it thoroughly with a knife.

Cutting Board

Knife

spinach250g

Step 4

Put the drained ricotta in a large bowl and add a pinch of salt, a few grinds of toasted black pepper, freshly ground nutmeg, the chopped spinach, one egg and Parmesan cheese, and mix it all well with a spatula until you have a homogenous paste. Then add the flour on top.

Bowl

Spatula

ricotta250g

spinach250g

egg1

parmesan cheese35g

salt1 pinch

black pepper

nutmeg¼ teaspoon

plain flour50g

Step 5

Fold and push the mix with the spatula until flour is fully integrated. the paste will feel drier and slightly doughy.

Bowl

Spatula

Step 6

Add the semolina to a plate, and add warm tap water to a small bowl. You’ll use the warm water to wet your hands so the mix doesn’t stick to them when you form the gnudi, and the plate with semolina to roll the gnudi. Also have a plate or larger dish to put the finished gnudi on.

semolina3 Tbsp

Step 7

Wet your hands in the bowl so the paste doesn’t stick to them, add a small scoop of dough and form a ball about 3cm in diameter, then roll it over the semolina to seal the surface and place on the empty plate. Repeat with all the dough.

Spatula

Bowl

Plate

Step 8

Put the plate of raw gnudi in the fridge until you are ready to cook them. They keep for up to 2 days in the fridge or up to 2 months if frozen.

Step 9

Boil a large pot of water, salt the cooking water to taste. To prepare the sauce, add the butter and olive oil on a non stick frying pan at medium low heat. Once the butter melts, add the sage and season with salt and freshly ground toasted black pepper to taste. Stir well and reduce heat to low so the butter doesn’t burn.

Step 10

Carefully put the gnudi in the salted boiling water with a slotted spoon or sieve, a few at a time.

Step 11

The gnudi will be done when they float to the surface. Collect them with a slotted spoon or sieve as they surface, drain and transfer them to the frying pan with the sage butter sauce.

Sieve

Frying Pan

Step 12

Raise the heat to medium high,. When the butter sauce starts bubbling, angle the pan to collect the sauce on one side, then using a spoon baste the gnudi with the sauce for a couple of minutes.

Step 13