Recipe: Ricotta Gnudi | CBC Life (2024)

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Light, fluffy gnudi couldn’t be easier to make, and they can even be made ahead of time and frozen.

Light, fluffy gnudi couldn’t be easier to make, and they can even be made ahead of time and frozen

Recipe: Ricotta Gnudi | CBC Life (1)

The key to a light and fluffy gnudi is adding as little flour as possible. Draining the ricotta of any excess liquid will keep you from having to add more flour to absorb it.

For an alternative version, substitute 1 cup of ricotta for 1 cup of mashed potatoes. This gives you a sturdy, toothsome gnudi and is another great way to use up leftovers.

Note: If freezing gnudi, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and very lightly sprinkle with flour. Placecut gnudi on baking sheet, making sure the gnudi are not touching each other. Freeze tray until all the gnudi are frozen completely solid, and transfer to a zipper freezer bag. Frozen gnudi will take an extra 2 minutes to cook in boiling water.

Ingredients

Ricotta:

  • 1 16oz tub of full fat ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • Few grinds of black pepper
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • Flour for dusting

Brown Butter Sage Sauce:

  • 1 stick butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 small shallot, diced
  • 1 bunch fresh sage leaves, picked
  • ½ cup toasted slivered almonds for garnish

Preparation

Set a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl, and line with cheesecloth or a double layer of clean paper towels. Scrape the ricotta into strainer and let drain, pressing with a spatula until it ceases to drip. Scrape drained ricotta into a large bowl, stir in egg, salt and pepper. Fold in flour until it is just absorbed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. (Resting the dough for 30 minutes allows the flour to absorb the remaining moisture from the ricotta cheese, so you don’t have to add more flour.)

Divide dough into four equal portions in bowl. On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion of dough into a ½” thick rope. Using a floured knife or a bench scraper, cut the dough into 1” long gnudi. Place cut gnudi onto floured baking sheet and repeat with the other three portions of dough. Add gnudi to boiling water a few pieces at a time. Stir gently so the gnudi does not stick together. Cook until all of the gnudi floats, about two minutes.

In a large skillet on medium heat, add butter, shallots, garlic and sage, cook until sage is crispy and butter has browned slightly. Remove sage and place on paper towel lined plate and reserve.

Once gnudi has boiled, transfer to brown butter skillet on medium heat. Fry gnudi in butter sauce until golden brown on each side. Sprinkle fried sage leaves on top and serve.

Servings: Makes 4-6 servings

Recipe: Ricotta Gnudi | CBC Life (2024)

FAQs

Why did my gnudi fall apart? ›

Too much moisture can make the delicate gnudi fall apart, so use a good quality whole-milk ricotta and remove as much moisture as possible.

What is the difference between ricotta, gnocchi, and gnudi? ›

Gnocchi can also be made with ricotta instead of potato, which are sometimes called gnudi (roughly translatable to "naked" in Italian). Gnudi generally have a bit less flour in them, making them similar in texture and flavor to the ricotta filling of ravioli, but without the pasta wrapper.

Can you freeze ricotta gnudi? ›

You should have about 16 to 20 finished gnudi. Sprinkle any remaining semolina in the bowl over the formed gnudi. Cover baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 and up to 3 days, turning the gnudi once per day. Once gnudi have formed a skin, they can be frozen.

What is gnudi made of? ›

Gnudi (Italian: [ˈɲuːdi]), also called malfatti, are gnocchi-like dumplings made with ricotta cheese and semolina instead of potato flour. The result is often a lighter, "pillowy" dish, unlike the often denser, chewier gnocchi.

How to fix crumbly gnocchi? ›

My Gnocchi Are Falling Apart When I Cook Them

This means there isn't enough flour and your dough is too wet. Try adding another 1/4 cup of flour and try again. A good idea is to have a pot of water on the go before you roll out and shape your gnocchi.

How to stop gnocchi from going soggy? ›

When cool enough to handle, scrape off the skins and push the potato through a ricer or food mill, then, while still warm, start working your dough on a floured work surface. (Here, Davies offers up another tip to fight the mush: “Spread out the mash to cool; the escaping steam will further take away any moisture.”)

What does "gnudi" mean in Italian? ›

Gnudi is a nice Italian meal that is very similar to Gnocchi. It is roughly translated to mean “naked” in Italian. Gnudi are gnocchi-like dumplings made with ricotta cheese and spinach instead of potato. They are often light, tender and creamy.

Why are my ricotta gnocchi mushy? ›

Why is my gnocchi mushy? Make sure your water is boiling, added salt, and don't overload the pan. When the gnocchi hits the boiling water, you want them to cook quickly. Adding too many to the pan will cool the water down too much, and they could go mushy or fall apart.

What is the history of gnudi ricotta? ›

Tuscan cheese-filled dumpling bites

The famous Gnocchi originated in Northern Italy during the Roman age, and out of it, Gnudi was born. Gnudi is a similar dumpling containing semolina but utilises cheese instead of potato to make the dough.

Can you reheat gnudi? ›

Make-Ahead: While they are best eaten immediately, you can make these up to 1 day ahead of time. Simply reheat right before serving. How to Reheat: Place them in a pot of boiling salted water and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until hot. You can also cook on a microwave-safe plate until hot.

Why can't you freeze ricotta cheese? ›

Ricotta is about 74% water, and when that water transforms into ice, it disrupts the cheese's texture and makes it dry, crumbly, and slightly grainy.

What is the difference between gnocchi and gnudi? ›

Gnocchi have a starchy base, such as potato or flour, while gnudi are, at their simplest, little more than featherlight clouds of fluffy fresh ricotta, often dressed with nothing fancier than melted butter.

How do you say gnudi? ›

The “g” is silent in both words; thus, gnocchi is pronounced “nyoh-kee,” while gnudi is pronounced “nyoo-dee” or simply “noo-dee.”

What are gnocchi made of ricotta cheese called? ›

While both ricotta gnocchi and gnudi are dumplings made with ricotta cheese, gnudi are made with a minimal amount of flour. They're larger and fluffier than ricotta gnocchi.

Why did my gnocchi fall apart? ›

If you overdo it with flour, your gnocchi will be too hard, if you put too little they will break during cooking. The rule says that the flour must be at most a third of the amount of potatoes.

What causes gnocchi to fall apart? ›

Gnocchi can disintegrate for a few reasons. You might not have added enough flour or egg, or you may have overboiled them.

Why is my gnocchi dough crumbly? ›

The gnocchi dough will still be a bit crumbly when you first mix the potatoes with the flour and eggs. You want the final dough to be soft, smooth, and a little sticky. For gnocchi with a fluffy texture, don't knead the dough past the point where the flour is fully incorporated into the potatoes.

Why do my homemade noodles fall apart? ›

Tearing can be caused by your pasta dough sticking to the roller on your pasta machine. A sprinkle of cornflour should help. Pasta can also tear if you move the dough through the machine too quickly, so slowing down the process could help too.

References

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