Serves 6
These plump little ovals of ricotta and spinach, popular in Tuscany, resemble the filling for ravioli but without the traditional wrap of pasta dough (gnudi translates as "naked"). Outside Tuscany, gnudi are sometimes referred to as ricotta gnocchi. They are light and cheesy, often served with brown butter or tomato sauce. These are set on a light, homemade tomato sauce that simmers for 10 minutes only. Shapes for gnudi range from oval to freeform, earning them yet another name, malfatti ("poorly made"). The key to light and pillowy gnudi is to press out as much moisture as possible from both the ricotta and the spinach. That way, you only need a small amount of flour to form the dough without letting it become leaden. The dough is also mixed with melted butter, an egg, Parmesan, lemon rind, and a hint of nutmeg. Pinch rounded tablespoons of dough and shape them into ovals with your fingers. You can also spoon a little flour into a narrow wine glass, drop the dough into the bottom, and shake the glass back and forth a few times. Like magic, you'll see a perfect oval has formed in the glass, ready for poaching. Have a little fun with this. Sometimes you should play with your food.
SAUCE
| 3 | tablespoons olive oil |
| 3 | cloves garlic, thinly sliced |
| 1 | can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed in a bowl |
| ½ | teaspoon salt, or more to taste |
| 1 | stem fresh basil, leaves removed |
1. In a wide saucepan over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil with the garlic. When the garlic starts to sizzle, shake the pan, and let it cook for 20 to 30 seconds, or until it starts to turn a light golden brown. Do not let the garlic brown too much or the sauce will taste burned.
2. Add the tomatoes and salt to the pan; stand back because they will splatter. Adjust the heat so the sauce simmers without splattering. Stir in the basil leaves. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly. Use tongs to remove and discard the basil leaves. Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt, if you like.
GNUDI
| 1 | pound (2 cups) whole milk ricotta |
| 10 | ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed |
| 4 | tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cool but still liquid |
| 1 | whole egg plus 4 extra yolks |
| ½ | cup grated Parmesan cheese |
| Grated rind of 1 lemon | |
| 1½ | teaspoons kosher salt |
| ¼ | teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste |
| ½ | teaspoon ground nutmeg |
| ½ | cup flour, or more if needed |
| Extra flour (for shaping) | |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish) |
| ¼ | cup grated Parmesan (for garnish) |
1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with 3 layers of paper towels. Spread the ricotta on the towels and cover with 2 more paper towels. Place a second baking sheet on top and set aside for 10 minutes. Remove the top baking sheet and the top layers of paper towel. Scrape the ricotta into a bowl; it should release easily from the bottom paper towels.
2. With your hands, squeeze out as much water as possible from the spinach and add it to the ricotta. Mix until well combined.
3. Add the butter, whole egg plus yolks, Parmesan, lemon rind, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to the bowl. Mix well. Stir in 1/2 cup of the flour and mix again. The mixture will be stiff but still soft.
4. Bring a soup pot of salted water to boil. Sprinkle a rimmed baking sheet generously with flour.
5. Make 1 gnudo now (you'll finish shaping later). To shape with a wine glass: Spoon about 1 teaspoon of flour into a narrow wine glass. With a large spoon, scoop up about 1 tablespoon of dough. Drop it into the glass. Shake the glass back and forth a few times until the mixture forms an oval. Tip the glass and let the oval fall into your hand. Place it on the floured baking sheet. To shape with your fingers: Pinch off about 1 tablespoon of dough. Roll it in flour and form it into an oval shape with your hands, using a light touch; the dough is soft and delicate.
6. Test-cook 1 gnudo: Drop it into the simmering water. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the gnudo rises to the top. If it falls apart, you need to add more flour to the ricotta mixture, a few tablespoons at a time. Test 1 gnudo again. Once you are satisfied with the results, form all the gnudi, tipping them onto the baking sheet until all the filling is used.
7. Set another clean baking sheet next to the burner.
8. Gently drop about half the gnudi into the simmering water. Once they float to the top of the water, let them cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, or until the inside is cooked through. (Total cooking time is 6 to 7 minutes.) Use a skimmer or slotted spoon to lift the gnudi out of the water and transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining gnudi.
9. Reheat the tomato sauce, if necessary. Spoon about 1/3 cup of sauce into each of 6 shallow bowls. Add 5 gnudi. Sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan.
Sally Pasley Vargas
Serves 6
These plump little ovals of ricotta and spinach, popular in Tuscany, resemble the filling for ravioli but without the traditional wrap of pasta dough (gnudi translates as "naked"). Outside Tuscany, gnudi are sometimes referred to as ricotta gnocchi. They are light and cheesy, often served with brown butter or tomato sauce. These are set on a light, homemade tomato sauce that simmers for 10 minutes only. Shapes for gnudi range from oval to freeform, earning them yet another name, malfatti ("poorly made"). The key to light and pillowy gnudi is to press out as much moisture as possible from both the ricotta and the spinach. That way, you only need a small amount of flour to form the dough without letting it become leaden. The dough is also mixed with melted butter, an egg, Parmesan, lemon rind, and a hint of nutmeg. Pinch rounded tablespoons of dough and shape them into ovals with your fingers. You can also spoon a little flour into a narrow wine glass, drop the dough into the bottom, and shake the glass back and forth a few times. Like magic, you'll see a perfect oval has formed in the glass, ready for poaching. Have a little fun with this. Sometimes you should play with your food.
SAUCE
| 3 | tablespoons olive oil |
| 3 | cloves garlic, thinly sliced |
| 1 | can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed in a bowl |
| ½ | teaspoon salt, or more to taste |
| 1 | stem fresh basil, leaves removed |
1. In a wide saucepan over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil with the garlic. When the garlic starts to sizzle, shake the pan, and let it cook for 20 to 30 seconds, or until it starts to turn a light golden brown. Do not let the garlic brown too much or the sauce will taste burned.
2. Add the tomatoes and salt to the pan; stand back because they will splatter. Adjust the heat so the sauce simmers without splattering. Stir in the basil leaves. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly. Use tongs to remove and discard the basil leaves. Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt, if you like.
GNUDI
| 1 | pound (2 cups) whole milk ricotta |
| 10 | ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed |
| 4 | tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cool but still liquid |
| 1 | whole egg plus 4 extra yolks |
| ½ | cup grated Parmesan cheese |
| Grated rind of 1 lemon | |
| 1½ | teaspoons kosher salt |
| ¼ | teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste |
| ½ | teaspoon ground nutmeg |
| ½ | cup flour, or more if needed |
| Extra flour (for shaping) | |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish) |
| ¼ | cup grated Parmesan (for garnish) |
1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with 3 layers of paper towels. Spread the ricotta on the towels and cover with 2 more paper towels. Place a second baking sheet on top and set aside for 10 minutes. Remove the top baking sheet and the top layers of paper towel. Scrape the ricotta into a bowl; it should release easily from the bottom paper towels.
2. With your hands, squeeze out as much water as possible from the spinach and add it to the ricotta. Mix until well combined.
3. Add the butter, whole egg plus yolks, Parmesan, lemon rind, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to the bowl. Mix well. Stir in 1/2 cup of the flour and mix again. The mixture will be stiff but still soft.
4. Bring a soup pot of salted water to boil. Sprinkle a rimmed baking sheet generously with flour.
5. Make 1 gnudo now (you'll finish shaping later). To shape with a wine glass: Spoon about 1 teaspoon of flour into a narrow wine glass. With a large spoon, scoop up about 1 tablespoon of dough. Drop it into the glass. Shake the glass back and forth a few times until the mixture forms an oval. Tip the glass and let the oval fall into your hand. Place it on the floured baking sheet. To shape with your fingers: Pinch off about 1 tablespoon of dough. Roll it in flour and form it into an oval shape with your hands, using a light touch; the dough is soft and delicate.
6. Test-cook 1 gnudo: Drop it into the simmering water. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the gnudo rises to the top. If it falls apart, you need to add more flour to the ricotta mixture, a few tablespoons at a time. Test 1 gnudo again. Once you are satisfied with the results, form all the gnudi, tipping them onto the baking sheet until all the filling is used.
7. Set another clean baking sheet next to the burner.
8. Gently drop about half the gnudi into the simmering water. Once they float to the top of the water, let them cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, or until the inside is cooked through. (Total cooking time is 6 to 7 minutes.) Use a skimmer or slotted spoon to lift the gnudi out of the water and transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining gnudi.
9. Reheat the tomato sauce, if necessary. Spoon about 1/3 cup of sauce into each of 6 shallow bowls. Add 5 gnudi. Sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan.