Steamed Ricotta Dumplings Food

SPINACH AND RICOTTA DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Bring a large, wide pot of salted water to a simmer. Put the spinach in a large bowl and separate it with your hands. Add the ricotta, 3/4 cup parmesan, the flour, eggs, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and the nutmeg. Mix with a fork to form a slightly sticky dough.
• Spread some flour on a plate. Scoop out heaping tablespoonfuls of the spinach-ricotta mixture and roll into about 24 loose balls using floured hands. Gently roll the balls in the flour.
• Bring the marinara sauce to a simmer in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the butter.
• Meanwhile, gently lower the dumplings into the simmering water and cook until they rise to the surface and are firm, about 5 minutes. Remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon, letting the water drain off, and add to the sauce. Gently toss to coat, then transfer to plates and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan. Serve with bread.

MALFATTI (ITALIAN SPINACH RICOTTA DUMPLINGS IN NAPOLI SAUCE)

Steps:

• Saute garlic and onion: Heat oil in a small pot or large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook for 3 minutes until onion is softened.
• Simmer sauce: Add remaining ingredients plus the stem of basil. Bring to a simmer, then reduce stove to low and cook, stirring every now and then, for 20 minutes. It should be fairly thick rather than a loose runny sauce.
• Drain ricotta, if needed: The ricotta should be the dry and fairly crumbly type rather than wet, soft and almost spreadable. If it's wet, see Note 1 for removing excess water (wet ricotta makes Malfatti hard to shape and cook!)
• Sweat spinach: Toss spinach with 1/2 tsp salt in large colander. Leave for 20 minutes. Roll up in tea towel and squeeze tightly to remove excess liquid. Roughly chop.
• Sauté garlic, eschalot and spinach: Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and eschalot, cook for 1 minute until translucent. Add spinach and cook until just wilted. Transfer to large bowl, allow to cool.
• Malfatti mixture: Add ricotta and all remaining Malfatti ingredients into the bowl. Mix well to combine. It should be too wet to roll with hands without sticking, but still firm enough to shape into dumplings.
• Form dumplings: Using 2 dessert spoons, scoop up about 1 1/2 tablespoons of mixture then shape into a football (quenelle) using the two spoons. Place on a paper-lined tray. You should get about 24-30.
• Boil dumplings: Bring a large pot of water to the boil, then carefully put 6 dumplings in. Cook for 2 minutes, they should float to the surface. Remove with slotted spoon on to paper towel lined tray. Repeat for remaining Malfatti.
• Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
• Assemble: Pour Napoli Sauce into a baking dish, then top with Malfatti. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
• Bake 15 minutes or until the Malfatti has a faint blush of gold on the surface (Note 3).
• Serve! Sprinkle baked Malfatti with parmesan and basil leaves (tear large leaves). Spoon into bowls and served as-is. No starchy side is required, think of these as like gnocchi. Just add a leafy green salad with Italian Dressing or Balsamic Dressing!

RICOTTA DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, cheese, egg yolk, lemon zest, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until combined. Sift 1/2 cup flour over mixture and use a rubber spatula to gently fold together. Turn mixture out onto a lightly floured work surface and sift remaining flour over top. With fingertips, gently incorporate flour into dough and lightly knead just until dough comes together (do not overwork dough).
• Set a large pot of salted water to boil. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a log about 3/4 inch thick and 20 inches long. With a knife or dough scraper, cut each log into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Drop pieces into boiling water. Cook until they plump up and float to surface, 2 minutes. Drain dumplings and shake off excess water.
• In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium. When it sizzles, add dumplings and cook, undisturbed, until golden on one side, 6 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon butter to skillet and toss to coat. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with cheese. Serve warm.

STEAMED PORK DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Mix together pork, green onions, cilantro, ginger, mushrooms, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, cornstarch and egg white in a large bowl until well combined.
• Working with 6 wrappers at a time, use fingertip to wet edges of each wrapper with water.
• Top each wrapper with 2 teaspoons pork mixture.
• Bring the 4 corners up towards the top of the filling, pleat the sides of the wrapper to form a cup, and press the wrapper snugly around the filling. The dumpling does not need to be fully enclosed at the top.
• Keep the dumplings covered with dampened tea towel while working.
• Place a bamboo steamer in a large pot and add enough water to come just below the base of the bottom steamer.
• Line each basket with a single layer of cabbage leaves to prevent the dumplings from sticking; important, do not omit or you will be eating of the steamer :).
• Place a single layer of dumplings on top of leaves.
• Cover and simmer for 8 minutes or until pork is cooked through; do not overcook.
• Serve warm with Recipe #397489 or other dip.

CHINESE STEAMED DUMPLINGS WITH DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix ingredients for dipping sauce and set aside.
• Lightly oil a large bowl.
• Put the flour and salt in another large bowl, piled up.
• Make a dent in the top of the pile, and crack the egg into it.
• Mix the egg into the flour.
• Add enough water to the mixture to make a thick dough.
• The consistency should be like bread dough.
• In any case, don't add too much water--it shouldn't be like batter at all!
• Turn the dough out onto the flour-dusted counter, and form into a ball.
• (It helps to flour your hands first).
• Place the dough into the oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap (cellofane).
• Let stand 1 hour.
• Meanwhile mix all ingredients for filling and place in the fridge.
• Next, remove dough and place on flour-dusted counter (or work surface).
• Knead a bit and flatten until very thin (but not see-through or falling apart).
• Using a large, round cookie-cutter (or bottom of coffee can or top of glass) cut three-inch rounds.
• Don't place them on top of each other, as they could stick together!
• Knead the leftover pieces together again and cut more rounds until there's no dough left.
• Spoon a bit of the filling into the center of each round and fold in half (to make a semi-circle shape).
• Seal edges with a bit of water, and use tongs of a fork to decorate the edge.
• To prepare, either steam the dumplings (if you have a steamer) for 15 mins, or boil for 10 mins.
• If you boil, add some oil to the water and don't overcrowd the pan--make them in batches.
• If you like, you can fry the dumplings in a skillet or wok to brown them before serving.
• Handle gently!