Gnudi
Ingredients
- 15 oz whole milk ricotta, drained in cheesecloth for 2 hours
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 oz fresh spinach, blanched, squeezed dry, finely chopped
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tbsp fresh nutmeg, finely grated
- 6 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 8 cups whole milk
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 4 fresh sage leaves
- Fleur de sel and Parmigiano-Reggiano for finishing
Instructions
- Combine drained ricotta, 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, blanched spinach, eggs, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Fold gently until just combined, then sift flour over the mixture and fold until no dry flour remains. The mixture should be slightly loose but hold shape—refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Heat 8 cups whole milk in a wide pot to 180°F (just below a simmer, with small steam wisps). Maintain this temperature throughout cooking.
- Using a small ice cream scoop or two spoons, form gnudi into oval dumplings about 1.5 inches long and drop gently into the warm milk. Work in batches of 8-10 to avoid crowding. Gnudi will sink, then rise to the surface when cooked through, about 4-5 minutes after rising.
- Transfer cooked gnudi to a warm plate using a slotted spoon. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking milk. Discard remaining milk.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 6 tbsp butter with sliced garlic until the butter foams and turns golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and add sage leaves.
- Divide gnudi among four warm bowls. Pour brown butter-sage mixture evenly over gnudi, then add a splash of reserved cooking milk to each bowl to create a light sauce.
- Finish each bowl with a pinch of fleur de sel and a generous shower of fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve immediately.
Inspired by Emily Oyer’s winning gnudi. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.