Ricotta Gnudi And Butter Sauce With English Peas And Mushrooms Food

SPINACH AND RICOTTA GNUDI

Steps:

• For the gnudi: Mix the ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, flour, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, nutmeg and eggs together. Make 2 small balls and test cook by placing them in boiling water until they float, then shock in iced water. Taste. If they are too soft and don't hold together, add more flour or breadcrumbs and test again.
• Portion all of the gnudi and roll into balls. Cook in boiling water until they float, about 2 minutes, and shock in iced water. Coat in olive oil and reserve until ready to serve.
• For the porcini puree: To caramelize the shallots, heat a large saute pan over high heat, add a few tablespoons of olive oil, then add the shallots. Allow to color on one side, then lower the heat and stir. Slowly cook until soft and sweet, about 5 minutes. Saute the mushrooms together with the shallots until lightly colored and tender, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and chili, and sweat for an additional 3 minutes. Pour the liquid from the hydrated porcini mushrooms into the pan. Allow to cook for about 15 minutes.
• Transfer the contents into a blender and puree until the consistency is smooth. Add water if the mixture gets too thick in the blender and it stops moving. Add olive oil while blending to finish and taste for seasoning. Strain the sauce. Reserve until ready to serve.
• To serve: Warm the porcini puree and reserve. Reheat the gnudi in a pan with salted simmering water and the melted butter. Plate the porcini puree, place gnudi on top and top with Parmesan cheese.

RICOTTA GNUDI AND BUTTER SAUCE WITH ENGLISH PEAS AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• For the gnudi: Thoroughly combine the cheeses, yolks, flour, breadcrumbs and salt in large bowl. Form the mixture into 15-gram (1/2-ounce) balls. Fill a shallow dish with a 1/2-inch of semolina flour. Roll the balls in the semolina flour until they are lightly coated. Put the balls on top of the bed of semolina flour in the dish. Allow the balls to dry in the refrigerator, uncovered, overnight.
• For the butter sauce: Combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of the milk in a small bowl. Bring the remaining milk to a boil in a medium pot. Add the cornstarch slurry and whisk together until the milk thickens, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium and slowly whisk in the cubed butter until combined. Remove from the heat and strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Add the truffles, if using, and the salt.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat a saute pan over medium heat and coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil. Add the mushrooms, a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Then add the peas and a pinch of salt and cook until bright green. Add a little bit of the boiling water to stop the cooking process and remove from the heat.
• Add the gnudi to the water. Add some of the butter sauce (about two ladles full) to the mushrooms and peas. Once the gnudi float, remove them with a slotted spoon, draining them well, and add them to the butter sauce. Baste the gnudi with the sauce. Transfer the pasta to serving dishes and top with the Parmesan and more truffles, if using.

RICOTTA GNUDI WITH SAGE BUTTER

Steps:

• Line a sieve with a piece of muslin or a new J-cloth and place over a bowl. Tip the ricotta into the cloth, gently gather up the ends and secure with an elastic band. Leave the ricotta to drain for 4 hrs.
• Transfer the drained ricotta to a clean bowl. Beat in the hard cheese, egg yolk, a good grating of nutmeg, then season well. Tip the semolina into a baking dish or large plastic container. Wet your hands, dip them in the semolina and, working quickly, scoop 1 heaped tsp of the ricotta mix into your hands and gently roll into a ball (don't worry if it's not perfect). Place the ball in the semolina dish and roll around so that it is totally covered. Pick it up and roll between the palms of your hands to create a smooth ball, then pop back into the semolina. Continue with the rest of the mixture. You should make about 24 balls. Once all the balls are formed and are sitting in the semolina, cover loosely with baking parchment (not cling film), put the dish in the fridge and leave to chill for at least 12 hrs, although 24 hrs is better - this is so the balls of ricotta form a skin around the outside.
• When ready to serve, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and lower in half the gnudi. Cook gently for 2-3 mins - they're ready when they float to the top - then scoop out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a sieve. Repeat with the remaining gnudi. Slowly melt the butter in a small frying pan. Add the sage leaves, making sure they don't overlap, and let them sizzle until crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper. If the butter has turned a nutty brown, remove from the heat; if not, continue to bubble until lightly browned. Divide the gnudi between warmed plates, drizzle over the browned butter, top with the sage and pine nuts, and serve with grated cheese, black pepper and a rocket & red onion salad.