Gnudi with Spinach, Lemon & Buffalo Cheese
Gnudi are gnocchi-like dumplings made with ricotta and semolina instead of potato. These delicate little ricotta balls hold so much flavour and are so pillowy they almost melt in your mouth. You only need to allow for about three balls per person as they are quite rich. This is a super quick dish to prepare ahead of time.
Ingredients
For the gnudi:
500g Massimo’s ricotta
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp high-grade flour
1/2 cup parmesan, loosely packed, freshly grated
Zest of a lemon
Pinch sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 cups Essente semolina flour (for rolling)
For the topping: Spinach, Lemon & Buffalo cheese
50g butter
3 cups baby spinach
1 lemon, zest and juice
Freshly cracked pepper
Clevedon Buffalo soft marinated cheese
Method
Place ricotta, the egg yolk, high-grade flour, parmesan and lemon zest in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Fold all ingredients together with a fork
Place the semolina flour in a rectangular tray
Make balls of a size slightly smaller than a golf ball by scooping up the mixture with a spoon and then rolling in your hands. As you make them place them on the tray and roll them in the semolina flour, ensuring they don’t touch each other. Place in fridge for 3 hours or overnight
When ready to cook, place a large pot of water on to boil, add 1 tsp salt. When boiling, shake off any excess semolina flour and dropping the gnudi into pot one by one. When they are cooked, they will rise to the top of the water. Remove with a slotted spoon
To make the topping:In a fry pan, heat butter and 2 Tbsp oil from the buffalo cheese until starts to simmer. Add lemon zest and juice, season with salt and pepper. Gently fold through the spinach until wilted, then add in 4 pieces of buffalo cheese. Spoon topping over cooked gnudi. Crack pepper and grate parmesan on top before serving