TUSCAN GNUDI RECIPE - Traditional tuscan Gnudi

"Gnudi” are a typical Tuscan dish, similar to gnocchi, but without the potato dough and with spinach. Their origins go back to the peasant tradition, when leftover fresh pasta was used to make these ricotta and spinach balls, seasoned with butter and sage. Today they are considered a delicious and versatile dish of regional gastronomy.

Ingredients for 4 people:
500 g / 17.63 oz sheep ricotta cheese
300 g / 10.58 oz spinach
1 egg
3 tbsp grated cheese
5 tbsp of flour
80 g butter
Salt pepper to taste
Oil to taste
Garlic to taste
Sage to taste
Nutmeg optional

How to make it:
First, prepare the spinach-you can use fresh or defrosted spinach. If you prefer, you can just boil it for 10 minutes and then drain it, but it will be more flavorful if you cook it in a pan.

If you are using fresh spinach, get a large skillet. Heat a little olive oil with a crushed clove of garlic, immediately add the spinach, half a cup of water and cover with a lid. Cook for 2 minutes until wilted and reduced in volume. Season with salt and pepper, remove the lid and cook over high heat for another 3 minutes.

Transfer the spinach to a plate and leave to cool. Squeeze well to remove excess water, transfer to a cutting board and chop coarsely.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil to cook the gnudi.

In a bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta, a pinch of salt, pepper, nutmeg to taste, one egg and the grated cheese. Mix well, then add the flour and mix well.

With slightly damp hands, form balls the size of a ping-pong ball, leaving them round or shaping them into an oval.

Test it by baking one of them: if it rises to the surface, it is ready. Taste it for firmness: it should be soft but not crumbly. If the dough is too soft, add a few spoonfuls of flour to make it firmer.

Cook the gnudi in plenty of salted boiling water: when they rise to the surface, they are ready.