Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi With Sage Butter

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These light, delicate dumplings are like ravioli without the pasta wrapper.

Martha Stewart

Updated on February 6, 2024

Servings:

These light, pillowy Italian dumplings are like ravioli without the pasta wrapper. Gnudi, meaning "nude," is the dish's Tuscan name, but elsewhere in Italy it is called malfatti, which means "badly made" and refers to its rustic appearance. Gnudi are a lighter, less starchy cousin of gnocchi because they’re made with ricotta rather than the potato or flour used for gnocchi.

Making gnudi is simple, but not always easy. They are very delicate and can collapse in cooking. That’s why we call for letting the gnudi sit to "cure" for at least an hour or up to overnight (eight hours) to allow them to develop a semi-firm flour shell that protects the creamy interior during cooking. Always use fresh ricotta cheese from an Italian market or cheese store; a ricotta without stabilizers or too much moisture is the key to gnudi success.

Use fresh ricotta cheese, which can be found in Italian markets or specialty stores, rather than grocery store ricotta, which contains stabilizers and gums.
Remove as much moisture as you can from the steamed spinach by squeezing it in a clean kitchen towel.
Semolina is best for coating the baking sheet to prevent the gnudi from sticking; you can substitute flour, but be careful that the gnudi don't absorb too much of it or it will weigh them down.

Ingredients

1 pound fresh spinach, large stems removed, washed well
¾ cup ricotta cheese (about 6 ounces), preferably fresh, drained for 30 minutes in a fine sieve
¾ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 1 ounce), plus more for serving
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ cup plus 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Semolina, for dusting
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
8 to 10 leaves coarsely chopped fresh sage, plus about 8 whole leaves

Directions

Steam spinach:

Fit a large pot with a steamer insert. Add enough water to come about 3 inches below bottom of insert, and bring to a simmer. Add spinach, cover, and steam until bright green, 1 to 2 minutes.
Drain, press to remove liquid, and puree:

Drain, and let cool slightly. Press to remove liquid. Roll spinach in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth, and squeeze to remove any remaining liquid. Transfer to a food processor, and puree until smooth (you should have 1 scant cup).
Mix puree with cheeses, yolks, and 2 tablespoons flour:

Stir together spinach puree, cheeses, salt, pepper, egg yolks, nutmeg, and 2 tablespoons flour in a bowl.
Place remaining flour on cutting board; roll dough into small logs:

Mound remaining 1/2 cup flour on a cutting board. Using floured hands, gently shape 1 tablespoon spinach mixture into a small log.

Martha uses a small ice cream or cookie scoop to make sure the gnudi are uniformly sized.
Roll gnudi in flour; refrigerate:

Drop it into the flour, and quickly roll to coat lightly. Transfer to a baking sheet that's lightly dusted with semolina. Repeat. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 1 hour or until ready to cook (up to overnight).
Cook half gnudi; then, cook remaining gnudi:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add half the gnudi, and stir gently to prevent them from sticking together. Cook until gnudi rise to, and remain on, surface, about 7 minutes. Repeat with remaining gnudi.
Warm plates: melt butter and add sage:

Meanwhile, warm 4 plates. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat until dark golden brown. Stir in chopped sage and the sage leaves. Add a little gnudi cooking water to the sauce to loosen.
Remove gnudi from cooking water to plate; drizzle wtih sauce and serve:

Use a slotted spoon to remove gnudi, shaking off excess water, and transfer to plates. Drizzle with sage butter and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve immediately.

Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi With Sage Butter

Ingredients

Directions

Steam spinach:

Drain, press to remove liquid, and puree:

Mix puree with cheeses, yolks, and 2 tablespoons flour:

Place remaining flour on cutting board; roll dough into small logs:

Roll gnudi in flour; refrigerate:

Cook half gnudi; then, cook remaining gnudi:

Warm plates: melt butter and add sage:

Remove gnudi from cooking water to plate; drizzle wtih sauce and serve:

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