Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi With Tomato-Butter Sauce
By: Robyn MacLarty
Published: Thursday, July 8, 2010 - 10:53pm

Ingredients




For the tomato-butter sauce:
1 small onion, halved
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 400-gram (14 ounces) can chopped tomatoes
100 grams (7 tablespoons) butter
For the gnudi:
1 cup flour
60 grams (2 cups packed) spinach
1 egg
300 grams (1 1/2 cup) ricotta
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preparation

1 In a small saucepan, gently fry the onion halves and garlic in the olive oil until the garlic is fragrant (don’t let it brown). 2 Add the tomatoes and simmer, covered, for about an hour. 3 In the mean time, make the gnudi: In a saucepan, fry the spinach until just-wilted and allow to cool.  Squeeze out any excess moisture and chop finely. 4 In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, spinach, egg, ricotta and Parmesan. Mix vigorously until well combined. 5 Dollop a spoonful of the mixture onto a floured surface and, using your (also floured) hands, roll into a cylindrical shape about an inch in diameter. Cut into 2cm or 3cm pieces and set aside. Repeat with the rest of the mixture. 6 Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, and plop in about a third of the gnudi (you don’t want them to be too crowded or they may stick together – also, too may will bring down the temperature of the water). Let them cook for an extra minute after they’ve risen to the surface (about 3-4 minutes in total), then remove with a slotted spoon, set aside and keep warm. Drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent them sticking together. Repeat with the remaining gnudi. 7 While the last batch of gnudi is cooking, remove the onions from the tomato sauce and add the butter, stirring until it is incorporated. 8 Divide the gnudi between bowls and spoon over the tomato-butter sauce. Top generously with freshly grated Parmesan and serve.

About


Silky, cloud-like ricotta pillows flecked with spinach, smothered in a velvety sauce.