Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi
After all the cheesecake, we need something savoury and light.
This is it: Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi. Gorgeous ricotta and spinach dumplings in a rich tomato sauce.
The gnudi can be cooked a few hours ahead of time, placed in the oven proof dish with the tomato, sprinkled with parmesan and then just before serving, baked till hot and bubbling. Serve with a crisp green salad (don’t forget the avocado and chives) and a bottle of your favourite Aussie wine.
(The original recipe comes from our third book, It’s Always About the Food, from the kitchen of Melbourne cook Laurelle Ritz.)
The recipe for the MMCC Essential Tomato Sauce is on p. 189 of the book.
Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi for Shavuot
Ingredients
- 500 g ricotta cheese
- 2 eschallots finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 100 g fresh English spinach leaves
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 60 g grated parmesan cheese ½ cup
- 70 g plain flour ½ cup
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups MMCC Essential Tomato Sauce or store bought tomato pasta sauce
- 4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese for sprinkling
Instructions
- You will need a medium oven proof dish. Preheat the oven to 180℃.
- Place the ricotta in a paper towel-lined colander to drain.
- In a medium frying pan over medium heat, saute the eschallot and garlic in the butter. When golden, add the spinach leaves and cook gently, stirring from time to time, until softened. Tip into a separate colander and push out any liquid with the back of a spoon. Remove from the colander and roughly chop.
- In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, egg, parmesan cheese, flour, a pinch of salt and pepper and the spinach until well combined. Season to taste.
- Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. With two dessert spoons, mould the mixture into quenelles and slip into the boiling water. Do this in batches, about 4 at at time. Simmer until they float to the surface.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Repeat until all the gnudis are cooked - you should have about 10 - 12 gnudi. .
- Pour 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce into the dish. The sauce needs to be approximately 1 cm deep, and if it is not, add the remaining sauce. Place the gnudi on top of the sauce and sprinkle with the parmesan. Bake for 20 minutes or until the gnudi are hot and the sauce is bubbling.
