Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi with Salsa Rosa
Gnudi, pronounced like nude-y (please no inappropriate jokes) are the uglier but I think more delicious older sisters of Gnocchi (did you know pasta was female? Look how much there is to learn!) They are like ricotta dumplings or ravioli without the pasta (and we all know what the best part of ravioli is)- creamy, pillowy balls of goodness. I made them for what has turned into a weekly event now dubbed, "Gourmet Lunch Wednesdays" because Wednesday is my day off and its the day I end up experimenting in the kitchen after which my husband and I get to enjoy the finished product for lunch. I served them with Salsa Rosa-which is just a fancy name for tomato-cream sauce, and is my most favorite sauce for pasta- a perfect combo of marinara and alfredo (don't they even sound like a happy Italian couple?)
2 cups ricotta
5 squares frozen leaf spinach,drained and chopped (equivalent I would think to about half a 10oz box of spinach)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs
3 egg yolks
salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
3/4 cup flour ( plus more for dusting)
Mix the ricotta, well drained spinach, Parmesan, eggs and yolks together and season to taste. Mix in the flour till a sort of dough forms (it will sticky, don't worry). Flour your hands and make balls out of the mixture and coat each ball in flour. Gently drop the balls into well salted, boiling water. Do not overcrowd the pan, you will have to do a few batches. Cook for about 5 minutes per batch (the dumplings should float to the top) and remove from the pot.
Salsa Rosa ( the easy way)
2 cups of your favorite tomato-basil marinara
5 Tbl cream
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Heat the marinara and stir in the cream and garlic. Cannot get easier than that.
The Gnudist colony: (sorry, couldn't help myself)
2 cups ricotta
5 squares frozen leaf spinach,drained and chopped (equivalent I would think to about half a 10oz box of spinach)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs
3 egg yolks
salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
3/4 cup flour ( plus more for dusting)
Mix the ricotta, well drained spinach, Parmesan, eggs and yolks together and season to taste. Mix in the flour till a sort of dough forms (it will sticky, don't worry). Flour your hands and make balls out of the mixture and coat each ball in flour. Gently drop the balls into well salted, boiling water. Do not overcrowd the pan, you will have to do a few batches. Cook for about 5 minutes per batch (the dumplings should float to the top) and remove from the pot.
Salsa Rosa ( the easy way)
2 cups of your favorite tomato-basil marinara
5 Tbl cream
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Heat the marinara and stir in the cream and garlic. Cannot get easier than that.
The Gnudist colony: (sorry, couldn't help myself)
Up close and personal:
I have my shopping list in hand to go and buy the necessary ingredients for this dish. It looks and sounds deeeelicious !!
ReplyDeleteI have to thank you for this recipe. I had never heard of gnudi before reading your recipe. Now they are a family favorite! We reduce the flour amount (to reduce carb count) and they still are delicious. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI happen to love your recipes and find them to be pretty fail proof with the exception of these! They had potential but we found them too be a little bland and WAY too much work for the end result.....
ReplyDeleteThanks for a great blog!