Tuscan gnocchi of sorts, gnudi live up to their name. Standard ravioli contain a filling wrapped inside a pasta shell, but gnudi comprise no pasta, they're “filling” only that's cooked as-is: gnudi, which means nude or naked in Tuscan dialect. They're rolled into balls, coated in semolina flour, and dropped in boiling water.
Gnudi are substantial and ever-so satisfying, composed of flavors that evoke the perfumes of Maremma, a region along the Tyrrhenian Sea in southwest Tuscany and northern Lazio. Here’s the recipe so you can make them at home.
Gnudi Toscani
Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh spinach
12 oz. ricotta cheese
4 oz. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp. semolina flour
salt and pepper to taste
nutmeg
Method:
Wash spinach leaves. In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add salt, then cook the spinach and drain. Squeeze well to remove excess liquid and set aside. You can use them like this in the mixture for gnudi or, if you want a little more flavor, sautée in a pan with some extra-virgin olive oil and garlic. Chop or cut with a knife and then place. the spinach in a bowl. Add ricotta cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano, two eggs, flour, salt, pepper, and some grated nutmeg.
Bring another large pot of salted water to a boil and add salt. In the meantime, mix the spinach and ricotta filling, and use a spoon to shape the mixture into balls. Cover the exterior with flour, and cook the gnudi in boiling salted water. When the gnudi rise to the surface, remove with a slotted spoon and cook them in either sage butter or a light sauce made from fresh tomatoes.
If gnudi are too wet
Sometimes the spinach releases too much water and the mixture becomes too liquidy. Add more flour and Parmigiano so that the gnudi take on the proper soft consistency and don't fall apart in the boiling water.