Spinach gnudi: A taste of Italy in a meatless delight
Simple spinach and cheese dumplings make for a delightful meatless dinner that will please even the most ardent enthusiasts of meatloaf or pork chops. The tender dumplings with green sauce are sure to win over any palate.
These spinach dumplings draw delicious inspiration from Italian cuisine. Inside, you'll find ricotta and parmesan, all enveloped in aromatic, green pesto. Gnudi offers a pleasantly surprising variety of flavours in every bite.
Spinach and cheese gnudi
If spinach brings to mind an unappealing and unappetising mush, this recipe will swiftly change your perspective. The green vegetable forms the base for creating gnudi, which are Italian dumplings. They're often referred to as "naked ravioli" because they're made without dough.
These dumplings are delicate, fluffy, and light, unlike gnocchi, which tend to be denser. They simply melt in your mouth, earning compliments from guests. Ricotta and parmesan give the gnudi a rich, cheesy flavour. Even when the weather outside is far from Italian, these simple dumplings will transport your thoughts to sunny Italy.
Ingredients:
- 200 grams fresh spinach,
- 250 grams ricotta cheese,
- 40 grams grated parmesan,
- 60 grams breadcrumbs,
- 1 egg,
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest,
- 1 pinch of nutmeg,
- 1 teaspoon salt,
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper,
- 125 millilitres (half cup) semolina for coating.
Sauce:
- 250 millilitres (cup) cooking water from dumplings,
- 85 grams green pesto.
Additions:
- Grated parmesan.
Instructions:
Step 1. Place the washed spinach leaves in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. After a moment, transfer them to a bowl with cold water and ice cubes. This will make the leaves soft but preserve their colour and taste. This process is called blanching. After removing them from the ice water, squeeze the spinach to remove the excess water and chop.
Step 2. Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, add parmesan, egg, breadcrumbs, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix everything thoroughly.
Step 3. Form small balls from the mixture. Using an ice cream scoop is easiest. Coat them in semolina and arrange them so they don't touch each other. Place in the refrigerator for an hour.
Step 4. Put the chilled dumplings into boiling, salted water and cook for 1-2 minutes from the moment they rise to the surface. Do not discard the water — it will be needed to prepare the sauce.
Step 5. Pour the cooking water from the dumplings into a pan, add pesto, stir, bring to a boil, and add the cooked dumplings. Heat through by drizzling the balls with the green sauce.
Step 6. Transfer the gnudi to a plate, drizzle with sauce, and sprinkle with grated parmesan. Enjoy!
