GEMMA’S TUSCAN RICOTTA GNUDI (spinach and ricotta gnocchi)

art by Gem Leslie

“This recipe I started making when I was living up North in Brisbane. It was the 2022 floods, and we were stuck inside our wobbly little Queenslander house.

I loved my Nana (now passed), I loved everything about her. She cooked the basics with what she could manage at the time. There is something comforting about having a grandparents love in your life. For comfort, I often turn on 'Pasta Grannies' on YouTube to gain some “nonna warmth” and to learn a new thing or two.

This is a recipe by Nona Rosa. It's effort vs. reward is a 9/10.

Tips:

• Don’t squish the gnudi too much when you’re rolling them

• Make sure you get the water out of the spinach

• Don’t wait for the potatoes to cool before you peel them

• Pair with something fresh like a riesling or chilled pinot noir

gobble up Gemma's interview here

*

gobble up Gemma's interview here *

ingredients

- 250 G COW’S MILK RICOTTA, DRAINED WEIGHT

- 600 G SPINACH

- 25 G FINELY GRATED PARMIGIANO REGGIANO

- 1 LARGE EGG, BEATEN

- PLAIN FLOUR, FOR ROLLING AND DUSTING
SALT

TO COOK:

- 30 G UNSALTED BUTTER

- 5 SAGE LEAVES

- NUTMEG

- TO SERVE: 2 TABLESPOONS GRATED PARMIGIANO REGGIANO

method

1. Place the ricotta in a sieve over a bowl and leave it to drain for an hour or so, then weigh out 250 g. Meanwhile, place the spinach leaves in a saucepan, turn the heat up to high and add 2 tablespoons of boiling water.

2. Cover the pan with its lid and steam the spinach until it has collapsed. Drain the spinach through a sieve and leave it to cool. Squeeze out as much water as possible and roughly chop.

3. You should end up with about 300 g cooked spinach. Mix the spinach with the ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano and beaten egg. Season to taste. Make sure the ingredients are all playing nicely together.

4. Pour some flour into a bowl. Pinch off 20 g pieces of the mixture (about the size of a large walnut) and toss each one in the flour before rolling it between your palms to create a nice little ball. Dust off any excess flour. Place on a lightly floured board, away from each other so they don’t stick.

5. Have a frying pan on one side of your stove, and a sauté pan on the other. Melt the butter in the frying pan with the sage and nutmeg and keep it warm while you cook the gnudi.

6. Fill a sauté pan with salted water and bring to a gentle simmer. Lower the gnudi gently into the pan and let them tremble in the water for 5 minutes, or until they bob to the surface. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the butter in the frying pan. You may have to cook the gnudi in batches.

7. Spoon the butter over the gnudi, then serve them with a shower of grated cheese over the top.

 “Finished off in a simple brown butter, nutmeg and sage sauce, this handmade pasta is a light yet warming dish, and surprisingly easy to make.

Grazie Nonna Rosa for passing down this recipe!”

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