Soft ricotta and spinach dumplings are coated in a thin layer of browned butter, lemon zest and Parmesan. With a fresh salad on the side, they make a light but complete main course.
Gnudi are soft Italian ricotta dumplings, often made with spinach. The name is usually explained as meaning ‘naked’: they resemble ravioli filling, but without the pasta wrapped around it. The exact ingredients vary from recipe to recipe. Here, spinach and ricotta make the familiar combination; Parmesan adds savory depth, and a little flour helps hold the dumplings together. They should be soft, not firm or doughy.
Fresh spinach wilts quickly in the pan, but retains a lot of moisture after cooking. So squeeze the cooled spinach thoroughly, using a clean tea towel if needed. Spinach that is too wet makes the mixture loose and calls for extra flour, which can make the gnudi heavier. Use ricotta that isn't watery, too. If it's very moist, let it drain in a fine-mesh sieve beforehand. Spinach is available all year round; baby leaves are often tender, while larger leaves sometimes take a little longer to wilt.
Mix the filling gently and add no more flour than necessary. The mixture will remain soft and a little sticky; that's normal. With lightly floured hands, shape it into dumplings. Chilling them briefly makes them easier to handle, but the most important thing is the poaching technique: keep the water at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil. Vigorous movement can damage the delicate gnudi. Cook them in batches and lift them out with a slotted spoon as soon as they float to the surface.
Brown the butter over medium heat until the milk solids are golden brown and smell nutty. Stay nearby, because it can go from golden brown to burnt quickly. Lemon zest adds freshness without thinning the butter; a little lemon juice in the salad also gives a pleasant, sharp contrast. Gently toss the gnudi in the butter so they stay intact. A pinch of nutmeg in the filling goes well with spinach, but keep the amount modest.
Serve the gnudi right away with extra Parmesan and a simple green salad. Arugula adds a slightly peppery contrast; other salad leaves work too. Dress the salad just before eating so the leaves stay fresh. For a vegetarian preparation, it's worth choosing Parmesan made with vegetarian rennet if that matters to you. The dumplings are best freshly made, while their centers are still soft and the butter is just glistening around the outside.
Put the spinach, with any water clinging to it from washing, in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat, tossing as it wilts. Transfer the spinach to a plate, leave to cool, then squeeze it as dry as possible. Finely chop.
In a bowl, mix the spinach, ricotta, egg, 45 g Parmesan, 40 g flour, nutmeg, salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir just until combined. Refrigerate the mixture for 15 minutes.
Dust a plate with some of the extra flour. With lightly floured hands, shape the mixture into 16 dumplings and gently roll them in the flour. Place them on the plate.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then lower the heat so the water simmers gently. Poach the gnudi in two batches. Lift them out with a slotted spoon when they float to the surface; allow about 2 minutes per batch.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until golden brown and nutty-smelling. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon zest.
Gently toss the drained gnudi in the lemon butter. Toss the arugula with the olive oil and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Serve the gnudi right away with the salad and the remaining Parmesan.
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