Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi
I hated eating my veggies as a child. I remember having dinner every night with the family and how my parents would insist that no one could leave the table until all our vegetables were finished. I knew of course this vendetta was solely targeted at me as my sibling never had the same aversion. More than once I was forced to sit by myself, long after everyone else had left the dinner table, to finish my food. Once, I was so desperate that I decided the only way I could finish the spinach on my plate was to shred it into tiny tiny pieces and swallow it with big gulps of water. I tell you, I had tears down my face as I gulped down at least three glasses of water just to finish my meal.
Sometime after that I discovered a way to outsmart my parents and this involved me pretending to swallow my vegetables but secretly spit it out in a serviette. It seemed to work for a few months until I was found out and then had to resort back to the “swallow the veggies” technique again.
Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi
Looking back, I’m sure I had this notion that all vegetables tasted horrid and bitter and there was no way I would ever, EVER grow fond of them. Now I realize that it’s all about how vegetables are cooked and served. Give me boiled spinach today and I’ll resort to a number of ways to dispose of it as in my youth. But serve me spinach enveloped in a cloud of ricotta and parmesan, served with a browned butter and balsamic sauce and I guarantee you a clean plate!
Gnudi (Nu-dee) are dumplings, very similar to gnocchi but usually made with ricotta cheese. Other sources think of it as a ravioli or tortellini without the pasta dough around it, hence the name gnudi (naked).
Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi
The inspiration for making this dish came one day from a twitter conversation where I asked what I should make for dinner. One suggestion led to another and then I remembered a recipe I saw for Gnudi for the Australian Gourmet Traveller website. I have changed the recipe slightly (1) I used baby spinach rather than the three bunches of english spinach called for – I found it easier to use the ready washed packets of baby spinach leaves you can easily get in the grocery (2) I used two eggs instead of an egg and two egg yolks – because I would have had no use for the two egg whites and (3) I added some balsamic vinegar to the sauce which cut down nicely on the richness of the ricotta and butter.
Overall, this is a fantastic dish and I can see myself making this many times going forward… and it’s a dish that I’m pretty sure even vegetable-hating kids would enjoy!
Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi
Serves 6, Adapted from Australian Gourmet Traveller
- 400 grams ricotta, drained overnight in a fine sieve over a bowl
- 250 grams baby spinach (I used the spinach salad leaves)
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- pinch of nutmeg
- 35 grams flour, plus more for dusting
- 80 grams cold butter
- 16 sage leaves
- 30 ml good quality balsamic vinegar
- Blanch the spinach in salted boiling water for around 5 to 10 seconds and then refresh in a bowl of iced water. Drain the spinach leaves and squeeze as much liquid as you can from the leaves. When I drained the spinach leaves the weight came out to 125 grams.
- Finely chop the spinach and set aside.
- In a bowl combine the ricotta, spinach, eggs, parmesan, nutmet, flour, salt and pepper then roll into walnut sized balls. Refrigerate the gnudi balls for around 20 to 40 minutes until well chilled.
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and then reduce to a simmer over medium heat. Roll the gnudi balls in flour and shake off excess. Drop the gnudi into the salted water and cook until the gnudi start to float to the surface. This will take around 2 to 4 minutes and then carefully remove the gnudi using a slotted spoon. Drain on absorbent paper and keep warm.
- Meanwhile, heat the butter in a frying pan until foaming and browned. Add the sage leaves and cook until crisp, around 1 minute. Be careful not to burn the butter. Finally remove the butter off the heat and add the balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately with more parmesan cheese.
Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi
Trissalicious 
Trissa, these gnudi are gorgeous! Cookin’ Canuck and I would love if you linked up this recipe & any 2 other side dishes in this weeks Get Grillin’ event posted on both of our blogs.
[…] For the original recipe with better picture go here. […]
Haha I was the same as a kid. My brother and sister and I got quite good at spitting out our food. So we wouldn’t go hungry, we had a ‘secret stash’ of snacks hidden in the attic for after dinner. =) These guys though, I imagine any kid would eat – they look delicious!
Ohhhhh wow…. This looks just AMAZING! Gimme gimme gimme gimme!!!!
oooh! These look good…especially with that melted butter and sage! You’re a star Trissa!
LOL. . .I tolerate spinach. But these. . .are just lovely, spinach notwithstanding.
Wow that brown butter balsamic sauce sounds absolutely divine. Thanks for sharing this recipe, Trissa. I will HAVE to make it soon.
Sounds great Trissa! I love spinach 🙂
Hey I’ll right as well try them and link back to you! I just started making ravioli and these gnudi look delightful, almost like brussel sprouts! Littleguy has just started eating veggies, and OH BOY does it remind me of myself as a little girl, trying to hide it in the plant vase in the diningroom or doing your same serviette -tecnique!!!
I’ll tell you how they came, thanks! (ellejay from Rome, Italy)
Ah, the old spit-it-into-a-napkin trick! Tried and true!
If you served me this I’d be trying to find sneaky ways of getting yours off your plate and onto mine 😉
I’d never heard of this before but find the name so cute! I discovered the combination of ricotta and spinach in my teens and have been in love with it ever since.
Triss! I have a question here … is this a side dish or a main dish? If side … what do you serve it with?
Hi Susan
This could either be a side or a main – I’d serve it with some crusty bread!
I hated vegetables when I was a child too, so I can totally relate to staying at the dinner table long after everyone else has finished… Veges tasted even worse when it’s all cold 😦
Strangely enough, now I love them hehe 🙂 Spinach & ricotta is always a stunning combination, and I’m always on the look-out for ways to sneak more veges in Mr. Z’s diet, so thanks for sharing the recipe!
Oh my, these would be so perfect for me, since I can’t do the pasta any more (diabetic). I will definitely be making these very soon!
Hello! congratulations! thanks! for this wonderful recipe! br your fan!
Caroliny!
I had such fun recently making gnudi for the first time! This recipe looks even better than the one I made. Healthier too!
I have been wanting to make gnudi for aaages!! and still haven’t :OO.. yours look soo gorgeous… i can see why anyone who WANT to eat veggies when served like that :))
yum! this looks so good- I loved veggies as a child (just not lettuce) and would love to give this a try! thanks for the recipe!
LOL- My parents were exactly the same! I never had a problem eating vegetables but look out if it was a dish that I didn’t like! No one could leave the table because we should be so lucky to have food when people back home are starving… etc, etc, etc.
Great dish – I like that the ingredients are so simple but the end result so sophisticated!
I don’t think I’ve ever had gnudi before. The flavors sound really good and let’s face it, if it’s Italian, it’s probably good. Love this Italian theme of yours this week.
Magda
I do love this dish. Good reminder for me to make this again soon 🙂
yum i love spinach and ricotta. these resemble escargots! they look delicious!
You sound like my daughter … always a huge glass of water or juice on standby. I will show her your post. 😉 I would love to have some of that gnudi! They look sooo delish.
I think i may have been the only kid who actually liked veggies. THe problem is I grew up to be an adult who loves donuts!
The spinach and ricotta gnudi looks completely fab!
*kisses* HH
I’m sure the whole city just heard me gasp in pleasure after seeing these beautiful balls of joy. Trissa they’re bloody stunning!
This looks delicious! Yes, I think vegies get a bad name because often they’re not prepared well. Prepared like this anyone would eat them! YUM!
Very interesting dish! Good way to sneak in some vege to our daily diet!
Oh yeah 🙂 I guarantee a clean plate with these little babies, great recipe, thanks Trissa
What a beautiful and novel and brilliant dish -as a starter, a side, or a main. I love it. I will DEFINITELY make this. YUM! I will let you know when I do!!!!
🙂
Valerie
I’ve made this before, but for some reason, I couldn’t relate to it. The dough was missing. But, you have made the naked ravioli look just delicious.
Trissa, I’m dying looking at this pictures. IT LOOKS so good (cliche isn’t it?)! Very high end.
I always use baby spinach over English spinach. And I don’t know why parents even try to serve their kids plain steamed veggies, if adults prefer some flavour then I’m sure kids would too!
I really do believe that spinach and ricotta are a marriage made in heaven. Add to that browned sage butter and OMG!!!