Gnudi

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to the boil and prepare a bowl of cold water. Squeeze the ricotta in a clean cloth or paper towels if it looks wet; the drier it is, the lighter and more stable the gnudi will be. Pick over the spinach and grate the Parmesan if not already prepared.

   250 g ricotta, well-drained180 g spinach35 g Parmesan, finely grated
2. 2

   Cook the spinach in the boiling water for 20 to 30 seconds, just until wilted. Transfer immediately to the cold water to stop the cooking, then squeeze it very firmly until as dry as possible. Finely chop the spinach; large pieces make the gnudi harder to shape neatly.

   180 g spinach
3. 3

   In a bowl, mix the drained ricotta, chopped spinach, egg yolk, 35 g Parmesan, 45 g semolina, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until evenly combined. The mixture should hold softly when pressed with a spoon; if it feels loose, let it stand for a few minutes so the semolina can hydrate rather than adding too much extra, which would make the gnudi dense.

   250 g ricotta, well-drained180 g spinach1 egg yolk35 g Parmesan, finely grated45 g semolina3 g fine sea salt1 g freshly ground black pepper0.5 g freshly grated nutmeg
4. 4

   With lightly damp hands, shape the mixture into 10 oval gnudi, about the size of large walnuts. Roll them lightly in the coating semolina and place on a tray or plate. Let them rest for 10 minutes; this helps the exterior dry slightly and makes them less likely to break in the water.

   25 g semolina, for coating
5. 5

   Bring a wide pan or shallow pot of salted water to a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil. Slip in the gnudi and poach for 3 to 4 minutes, turning the heat down if needed; they are done when they puff slightly and rise to the surface. Use a slotted spoon to lift them out carefully.

6. 6

   While the gnudi poach, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and cook until the butter turns hazelnut-brown and smells nutty, 2 to 3 minutes. Watch closely at the end, as butter can go from browned to burnt very quickly.

   60 g unsalted butter8 g fresh sage leaves
7. 7

   Transfer the poached gnudi to the skillet and spoon the brown butter over them gently to coat without breaking them. Plate immediately, finish with the remaining 15 g Parmesan, and serve hot.

   15 g Parmesan, finely grated

Origin & History

Gnudi are a Tuscan specialty, especially associated with Siena and the Maremma, made from a ricotta-and-greens filling similar to ravioli but served without pasta. Their name means roughly "naked," referring to the fact that they are essentially ravioli filling without the surrounding dough.