Spinach, sage and ricotta gnudi

Ever tried naked ravioli – aka gnudi? It’s similar to ravioli but without the pasta.

You need to make this dish in advance, as the mix needs to chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours. Gnudi makes a great starter or main course at a dinner party, as most of the work is done the day before.

Makes 20 gnudi.

Ingredients

Spinach, sage and ricotta gnudi

1 x 300g bag spinach, stems removed
250g ricotta
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Freshly grated nutmeg (¼ teaspoon or less – not too much)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup flour
120g (8 tablespoons) butter
Fresh sage leaves
Zest from 1 lemon + extra lemon juice

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add the spinach and cook until the leaves wilt (about a minute). Drain in a colander and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible. Place in a food processor and puree. You should end up with about a cupful.

2. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in the ricotta, parmesan, lemon juice, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Taste to check that the seasoning is to your liking.

3. Spread the flour out onto a plate. Roll the spinach and cheese mix into small balls and drop onto the plate, rolling the balls around until they are covered in flour and shaped like small sausages. Refrigerate, uncovered, overnight, or for 8 hours.

4. Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook gnudi for 3-4 minutes. While the gnudi is cooking, melt the butter in a small frypan. Add sage leaves and cook until the butter browns, about 1 minute.

5. Remove the gnudi from the saucepan with a slotted spoon and arrange on serving plates. Pour over the sage butter, some extra grated parmesan cheese, lemon zest and lemon juice.