Spinach & Ricotta Gnudi with Tomato Sauce
The secret to these gnudi is lightness in every ingredient and every step.
SERVES
4
PEOPLE
COOKING TIME
15
MINUTES
Ingredients
For the gnudi
250g fresh young spinach
250g ricotta, drained
110g plain flour (or 00 flour), triple-sieved
70g Parmesan, freshly microplaned, plus extra to serve
1 large egg
Pinch of nutmeg
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper
For the tomato sauce 2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
Pinch of sugar
Salt and pepper
A few fresh basil leaves (optional)
Method
Make the gnudi
Remove any stalks from the spinach and give the leaves a good wash. Place in a colander and pour over a full kettle of boiling water to wilt. Leave to cool completely, then press out as much water as possible. Roll the spinach in a clean tea towel or kitchen paper and give it a firm squeeze, then finely chop.
Tip the ricotta into a sieve set over a bowl and leave for 10–15 minutes to drain off any excess liquid.
Measure out the flour and sieve it three times to keep it as light as possible.
Combine the chopped spinach, drained ricotta, sieved flour, egg, Parmesan, nutmeg, and a good seasoning of salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon or a dough hook, mix very gently until just coming together. The dough will be quite sticky — that is exactly right. Do not overwork it.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 portions. Divide each portion into 5 pieces, then gently roll each piece into 5 walnut-sized balls using lightly floured hands. They will be sticky — a little extra flour as you go is fine, but resist adding too much. The stickiness is what keeps them light.
Place the gnudi on a parchment-lined tray, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow them to firm up.
Make the tomato sauce Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until softened.
Pour in the chopped tomatoes, then fill each empty tin about a quarter full with water, swirl to rinse, and add that too. Add the sugar and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 15–20 minutes until slightly thickened.
Reduce the sauce for a further 10–15 minutes until nicely thick. If you like a smooth sauce, blitz with a hand blender until silky. Stir in a few basil leaves if you have them. (This will make more sauce than you need; always handy to have a tub of leftover sauce in the fridge.)
Cook and serve
Bring a large pan of water to the boil, then reduce to a very gentle simmer — this is important, as a rolling boil will break them up. Drop in the gnudi in batches of about 8 at a time. They will sink, then float to the surface after about a minute. Cook for 2 minutes in total, then remove with a slotted spoon. Repeat with the remaining batches.
Spoon the tomato sauce onto warm plates and arrange 6 gnudi on each. Dust generously with extra Parmesan and finish with a few fresh basil leaves.
