Ricotta gnudi with sage butter
Gnudi are a lighter version of gnocchi, and these light-as-air dumplings work perfectly if you follow the rules. Don’t be tempted to skip the draining or overnight chilling, as these are both essential to the gnudi holding their shape. If you don’t have sage, use any herb you like. Grated lemon zest or capers would also work well.
SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins plus overnight chilling COOK 10 mins EASY V
500g ricotta (use irm ricotta, or make sure it’s well drained, see tip) 75g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, grated, plus extra to serve (optional) grating of nutmeg pinch of ground white pepper 500g semolina 150g butter 1 bunch of sage, leaves picked
1 Put the ricotta in a bowl with the parmesan, nutmeg, white pepper and a pinch of salt, then mix well. Pour half the semolina onto a small baking tray.
2 Scoop large teaspoons of the ricotta mixture and roll into small dumplings. Carefully roll the dumplings in the semolina until fully coated, then arrange on the baking tray. Tip over the rest of the semolina so it covers the dumplings, then transfer to the fridge and leave to chill overnight.
3 Just before you’re ready to serve, heat the butter in a large frying pan. When foaming, add the sage leaves and fry for a couple of minutes until crisp, then transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
4 To cook the gnudi, bring a large, wide pan of salted water to the boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, then lower in the gnudi and cook for 3 mins, or until they float to the surface – do this in two batches so the gnudi don’t stick together.
5 Transfer the gnudi to the pan with the sage-infused butter using a slotted spoon. Return the pan to the heat and warm through, then serve in bowls topped with the fried sage and extra parmesan, if you like.
GOOD TO KNOW calcium
PER SERVING 1000 kcals • fat 53g • saturates 32g • carbs 97g • sugars 3g • ibre 4g • protein 33g • salt 1.3g
tip
● To drain ricotta, tip it into a sieve set over a bowl the day before you need it, and leave it in the fridge overnight.
Gnudi, a lighter version of gnocchi, canbe lavoured with any herbs, lemon zest, or capers