Sian Redgrave’s delicious dumplings

This month Sian shares one of her favourite things to cook, inspired by a traditional Italian recipe, seasonal produce and wonderful memories of eating as a child. Sian’s food is created with love, colour and flavour.

Gnudi, a deliciously rounded word for a deliciously rounded dumpling. True to the romanticism of Italy the name of these gnocchi-like morsels translates to “naked”, for gnudi are made with the filling of ravioli but without the pasta. Unlike gnocchi, which is made using flour and potato, gnudi are a little fickle as they rely on fresh ricotta to bind them. For those thinking that the jackpot has been obtained with a low-carb miracle dish, the calories are made up for with plenty of parmesan and the traditional sauce of beautifully browed butter.

The most integral ingredient in gnudi is in fact the ricotta, a mild, sweet, fresh cheese that allows for the hint of nutmeg and sharpness of silverbeet to be rounded and smooth. Keep in mind that not any ricotta will do. This recipe requires firm, well drained ricotta that is often sold set in plastic sieves and can be found at local delis and cheese stores. I strongly advocate setting out on a cheese hunt to find this as it’s the main attraction! Patting the ricotta dry with paper towel and draining as much liquid as possible from the greens ensures the gnudi are firm and hold together when cooking.

Although they require a little patience and chilling time, gnudi are an elegant entertaining recipe, sure to delight friends and family. Very few are adverse to brown butter, especially the gnudi, shiny in their naked glory!