Gnudi
naked ravioli
Tuscan ricotta-and-greens dumplings sometimes described as ravioli filling without the pasta wrapper.
About this dish
Tuscan ricotta-and-greens dumplings sometimes described as ravioli filling without the pasta wrapper. The recipe here chooses one named variation from that wider tradition; household fillings, shapes and serving styles may differ.
Recipe
Tuscan spinach and ricotta gnudi
- 400 g drained ricotta
- 500 g fresh spinach
- 1 egg
- 50 g Parmesan, grated
- 40 g all-purpose flour plus 30 g for coating
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Sauce
- 50 g butter
- 8 sage leaves
- 1
Use 400 g drained ricotta; 500 g fresh spinach; 1 egg and the listed remaining ingredients. Wilt spinach, cool and squeeze very dry; mince finely. Mix with ricotta, egg, Parmesan, 40 g flour and seasoning. Squeeze spinach completely dry and use drained ricotta.
- 2
Chill 30 minutes. With floured hands, form 24 oval dumplings and coat lightly in coating flour. Keep covered during chilling, dust hands lightly and keep coating flour outside.
- 3
Test one at a gentle simmer; if it breaks apart, mix another tablespoon of flour into the remaining mixture. Poach batches 4-6 minutes until set and cooked through. Cook at a quiet simmer; after a small adjustment retest. Check set center at 71°C/160°F.
- 4
Sauce: 50 g butter; 8 sage leaves. Warm butter with sage and spoon over drained gnudi. Lift carefully, drain and spoon over sage butter rather than tossing fragile pieces.
Note
These are unwrapped filling-like dumplings. Thoroughly drained ricotta and spinach matter more than adding lots of flour.