Delicious ricotta dumplings with iron-rich spinach, a zesty touch of lemon and served with an easy roasted tomato sauce. A bit like gnocchi but made with cheese rather than potato, so they are much richer.
These gnudi dumplings are like pillows of ricotta, and are perfectly fluffy and tender. They are ideal for a light lunch with friends and family. Serve with pasta, spiralised courgette or simply on their own.
Suitable from 6 months upwards as finger food for babies.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to160°C (fan).
- For the sauce, place the sliced plum tomatoes, peeled garlic cloves and olive oil in a roasting tin. Roast for 20 mins.
- Meanwhile, blanch the spinach for 30 seconds, drain and squeeze out the liquid. Chop and set aside.
- Make the gnudi by mixing the ricotta, parmesan, egg yolk, spinach and lemon zest together. Add the spelt flour 1 tbsp at a time until the mixture can be formed into balls. Wet your hands and roll the mixture into small balls, placing them onto the floured board.
- Boil the little dumplings for 4-6 minutes, until they rise to the top of the water.
- Whilst they boil, finish the sauce. Add the fresh basil to the roasted tomatoes and garlic, and blitz in a mini blender.
- Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the gnudi until golden brown – allow to sit in the pan to create a strong crust before turning, to help prevent sticking.
- Serve with the tomato sauce for dipping.
Recipe Notes
- If your ricotta is sitting in quite a lot of liquid (different varieties vary), drain in a sieve set over a bowl before making the gnudi, so there isn’t extra moisture in the mixture.
- These gnudi are hard to make dairy-free, but you can easily make them gluten-free by using a good quality gluten-free plain flour.
- Egg-free: switch the egg to a chia or flax egg (1 tablespoon of ground flax/chia to 1.5 tablespoons water) or a tablespoon of chickpea flour.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days before or after the frying stage. Similarly store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Hi Lucinda,
Can you use wholemeal flour for these?
yes you can!