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Spinach Ricotta Gnudi in Cherry Tomato Sauce

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

For the gnudi:

  • 16 oz frozen spinach, thawed, excess water squeezed out*
  • 16 oz (2 cups) ricotta cheese**
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup (4 oz) grated parmesan
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • ½ cup (75g) all purpose flour + more for dusting

For the tomato sauce:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes (10-12 oz)***
  • ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • ½ tsp fennel seeds
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1-2 cloves garlic smashed (optional)
  • 1 cup gnudi water
  • 2 tbsp butter, cubed

For topping:

  • Fresh herbs (basil or parsley)
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Black pepper
  • Olive oil
  • *Squeezing out the water is very important so you don’t have a wet mixture. Do it by hand over a fine mesh sieve or place it in the center of a kitchen towel and wring it out.
  • **If your ricotta is watery or you see water floating on top, drain off the water on top. You can also add it to a fine mesh sieve and let it drain for up to 15-30 minutes.
  • ***You can use any tomato variety (10-12 oz worth), just cut them in half or into quarters.
  • Protein bump! ~ Easily add your favorite sausage - just cook it in the skillet before cooking the tomatoes, then transfer to a plate and add it to the sauce or to your bowl later. You can also add 1 can of beans to the tomato sauce - just add them in after the butter is melted. Season with some extra salt.
  • Timing tip! ~ Get the gnudi made and boiled before you start making the tomato sauce. Once you’ve boiled the gnudi and removed them from the towel, then start cooking the sauce. When the sauce is done, broil the gnudi. Once they’ve broiled, the sauce should be cooled off a bit and the gnudi will be hot and crispy on top!

Items you can prep ahead (optional)

  • Thaw and squeeze out the spinach
  • Mix together the ricotta mixture + form balls + coat in flour 

Instructions

To make the gnudi:

  • In a large bowl, add the spinach (if it’s in a tight ball from squeezing, break it up into smaller pieces), ricotta, egg, parm, salt, and pepper. Use a fork to mix thoroughly. Sprinkle in the flour and mix to combine, starting with the fork, then use your hands to ensure all the flour is mixed evenly.
  • To a baking sheet, add about ¼ cup flour and spread it around to coat the pan. Roll the gnudi mixture into large (~ 2 heaping tbsp-sized or 50-55g) balls (you should get at least 16 balls). Transfer to the baking sheet and repeat until all of your balls are formed.
  • Roll the balls in the flour to coat by shaking the pan or using your hands to roll them around. Chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, but ideally 2-4 hours (or overnight).
  • Fill a large pot half way with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then season generously with salt (like pasta).
  • Start with one “tester” gnudi and add it to the boiling water. Boil for 6 mins, then turn off the heat - it should be floating in the water (time will vary depending on size of your gnudi). Transfer it to a plate or bowl. Now you know about how long to boil it for. Add the rest of the gnudi all at once (or in two batches depending on the size of your pot) and repeat.
  • While they boil, shake/wipe off the excess flour from the baking sheet and add a kitchen towel or paper towels. Use a spoon (slotted spoon or spider works best) to transfer the cooked gnudi to the towel. Save the starchy gnudi water to use for the sauce. Once the gnudi have cooled off for a couple minutes, carefully remove them from the towel so that they don’t stick and transfer them directly onto the baking sheet.
  • Optional gnudi step: turn your oven to broil on high. Add a generous glug of olive oil and roll the gnudi to coat in the oil. Broil for 2-4 minutes or until golden/crispy on top.

To make the tomato sauce:

  • In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the tomatoes and ¼ salt and cook for 4-6 minutes or until they begin to soften/burst open, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste, spices, and garlic and cook for 2-4 more minutes, stirring often.
  • Add the gnudi water and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and stir until smooth. Add the butter and stir until combined/melted. Simmer gently for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce thickens a bit (it will also thicken a bit as it cools down). Taste and add more salt, if needed.

To serve:

  • Add the tomato sauce (about ½ cup) to your bowl and top with a quarter of the gnudi (about 4). Shower with plenty of parm, herbs, and black pepper.

Notes

Substitutions:

  • To make gluten-free, use an all-purpose GF flour.
  • This cannot be made vegan.
  • Sub the frozen spinach with frozen kale. You could also use frozen broccoli, thawed, water squeezed out and very finely chopped. I did this when I ran out of spinach! 
  • Serve the gnudi over a pesto sauce instead of tomato. Make the pesto from this recipe and stir some gnudi water into it to make it saucy. 

Storage:

  • Store leftovers separately in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
    • Gnudi: up to 5 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer
    • Tomato sauce: up to 5 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer

Leftovers + Repurposing:

  • Warm up leftover gnudi in the microwave until warmed through. Warm up the tomato sauce in your bowl, then top with the warmed gnudi and all the toppings
  • Stretch it by adding beans or cooked sausage to the tomato sauce.
  • You can thin out the tomato sauce with some water to stretch it. 
  • Add cooked pasta to the dish to bulk it up.
  • Leftover gnudi are actually a very delicious high protein snack.
  • Make a gnudi sandwich! Smash the gnudi on toast with slices of tomato and basil.