Spinach And Ricotta Gnudi With Sage Butter Food

SPINACH AND RICOTTA GNUDI WITH SAGE BUTTER

Steps:

• 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, 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).
• Stir together spinach puree, cheeses, salt, pepper, egg yolks, nutmeg, and 2 tablespoons flour in a bowl.
• Mound remaining 1/2 cup flour on a cutting board. Using floured hands, gently shape 1 tablespoon spinach mixture into a small log. 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).
• 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.
• 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.
• 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

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 WITH BROWNED BUTTER

Steps:

• Put the ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, nutmeg, pepper, egg yolk, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup of the flour in a large bowl. Use a wooden spoon to mix until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overwork. Continue to mix until the dough comes together and forms a ball, adding an additional 1/4 cup flour if needed.
• Lightly flour your hands and roll the mixture into quarter-sized balls; there should be 25 to 30 balls. Place the gnudi onto a lightly floured tray and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, add the oil, capers and sage leaves to a small saute pan. Place over medium heat and fry until crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. If the sage leaves become too dark, remove them before the capers. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a low boil.
• Add the butter and sage sprig to a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Melt the butter and continue to cook, swirling the pan in a circular motion to prevent the butter from burning, until it starts to turn golden brown and begins to smell nutty. Squeeze the juice from a lemon wedge into the pan to stop the butter from turning too dark and burning.
• Once the water is at a low boil, add the gnudi and cook until they float, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the gnudi directly into the browned butter. Stir to coat.
• Plate the gnudi onto a serving plate and garnish with the fried sage and capers and additional Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve with lemon wedges.

RICOTTA & SPINACH GNUDI

Steps:

• Pour boiling water over the spinach, then leave to cool a little before squeezing out any excess liquid. Chop the spinach finely. Drain and squeeze out any excess water again. Put the spinach in a mixing bowl with the ricotta, egg yolks, breadcrumbs, flour, a grating of nutmeg, a pinch of salt and the cheese. Mix well.
• Scoop up 24 equal-sized lumps of the mixture, using an ice cream scoop if you have one, and shape each one into a log by rolling it between your hands. Lay each log on a baking sheet, then chill for 30 mins, or until needed.
• Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Lower the gnudi into the water, turn down to a simmer and cook for 3-4 mins (do this in batches if you need to). Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large frying pan, add the sage and fry until crisp. Drain the gnudi well, then tip into the pan with the sage, along with a good grating of cheese. Swirl everything together, doing it in batches if it's easier. Arrange four gnudi on each serving plate, pour over more of the sauce and scatter with more grated cheese.

HOMEMADE SPINACH AND RICOTTA GNUDI WITH SAGE BUTTER

Steps:

• 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, 3 to 5 minutes. 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).
• Stir together spinach puree, egg yolks, cheeses, 2 tablespoons flour, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a bowl.
• Mound 1 cup flour on a cutting board. Using floured hands, gently shape 1 tablespoon spinach mixture into a small log. 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, until ready to cook (up to overnight).
• 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 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining gnudi.
• Meanwhile, warm 4 plates. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in chopped sage and the sage leaves. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons gnudi cooking water, reduce heat to low, and cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Use a slotted spoon to remove gnudi from water shake off excess water, and transfer to plates. Drizzle with sage butter. Serve immediately.

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.