Gnudi: spinach and ricotta steamed dumplings. I first ate this dish during a trip to Tuscany, in the Siena area. They are large gnocchi with ricotta and spinach typical of the peasant tradition, very simple, but very good. They are called this because they are naked, in fact they are very similar to Maremma tortelli, but without pastry to wrap them. Gnudi can be seasoned with butter, sage and pecorino, with a cheese fondue or even with meat sauce.
Usually, after forming them, they are cooked in boiling water. This time I was inspired by oriental dumplings and I propose them steamed. I find that with this type of cooking they hold both the shape and the intensity of the taste more, making them even more delicious and excellent even when seasoned with a very simple sauce.
To cook them I used the Class Italy VIVO Vapojet steamer, perfect for this kind of dishes. In fact, it is not necessary to preheat it and 10-12 minutes in total will be enough for cooking, in fact it starts to emit steam only 30 seconds after switching it on. It therefore saves time and energy, and the difference is especially noticeable for these quick-cooking dishes.
VIVO Vapojet | Electric instant steamer
- Instant steam: produces steam in less than 30 seconds
- Micro steam: micro-atomized steam for maximum delicacy and cooking uniformity
- 0% BPA: Constructed with quality materials – 304 steel and BPA-free plastics
- Efficient: you save water, energy and time
- Space-saving: foldable and can be placed on the wall to take up very little space
- High capacity: spacious and with two shelves
Gnudi: spinach and ricotta steamed dumplings
Ingredients (4 people – 30-32 gnudi):
- 300g clean fresh spinach (or 400g frozen)
- 200g ricotta (preferably sheep’s milk)
- 60g flour 00
- 50g grated pecorino
- 1 medium egg
- nutmeg
- salt
- pepper
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
Ingredients (seasoning):
- 80g butter
- 8-10 sage leaves
- 50g grated pecorino cheese
Directions(Gnudi: spinach and ricotta steamed dumplings):
- Start cooking the spinach directly in the pan with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and the peeled and halved garlic clove. This way the spinach will retain much more flavor than when first boiled.
- When they begin to soften, continue to cook in an uncovered pan until the cooking liquid has completely dried.
- Then remove the garlic, chop them in the food processor and pour them into a large bowl. Wait for them to cool before continuing with the rest of the process, otherwise they won’t have the right consistency.
- At this point add the ricotta and mix it with the spinach, then also the egg and continue mixing.
- Then add the other dry ingredients, that is the flour, grated pecorino, a pinch of salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix well with a fork, until the mixture is smooth. Cover with cling film and let it rest for an hour in the refrigerator, so that it compacts well.
- Then cover the steamer shelves with perforated baking paper. Even better if it does not cover the entire surface of the shelves so that the steam can flow regularly on the side.
- Then start preparing the gnudi. I find that by forming quenelles with the help of two spoons, a very attractive shape is obtained. But if you want you can also form small meatballs with your hands greased with oil. Place them gradually on the shelves.
- Now add water to the steamer if necessary. Then place the metal plate, the first metal grid with the first layer of gnudi. Then the divider and the second plastic shelf, and finally the lid.
- Run the steamer for 12-14 minutes. In case you use another steamer or a traditional steamer basket it may take 15-17 minutes, as they usually take longer to heat up.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by melting the butter in a pan and then adding the sage to flavor it.
- Serve sprinkled with butter and sage and with a sprinkling of pecorino. If you want, you can also use a more elaborate sauce, such as a cheese fondue or ragù. But steamed in this way they remain very tasty, so even a very simple sauce is perfect.