Gnudi
Make the gnudi by mixing the ricotta, cooked spinach and eggs until well combined. Add the salt and nutmeg. You should have a thick, compact mixture.
Place the flour in a bowl. With floured hands, roll walnut-sized spoonfuls of mixture into the flour to coat and then place on a lightly floured plate or board until they are all ready.
Prepare a large pot of simmering, salted water and set over a low heat. Carefully drop the gnudi one by one into the water and cook for about 4-5 minutes or until they begin to float.
In the meantime, prepare the sauce by melting the butter in a frying pan. Add the sage leaves and 2-3 spoonfuls of the cooking water and swirl the pan to create a thick sauce.
Season with salt and pepper. When the gnudi are ready, remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and place them in the sauce. Turn the heat to low.
Swirl the pan gently to coat the gnudi in the sauce for 1 minute and serve with cheese.
Note
If you can, buy your ricotta from a delicatessen rather than the supermarket and go for the ricotta that is usually sold by weight and is firm enough to stand on its own. This type of ricotta, with a slightly crumbly texture, is closer to the real thing from Italy. Tubs of ricotta from the supermarket have an entirely different texture – smooth, watery, more like thick yoghurt – that will affect the result of this recipe. If your ricotta is watery, leave it to drain for an hour before using it in a sieve lined with a dish towel over a bowl. Discard the liquid.
Florentine by Emiko Davies (Hardie Grant, £20) Photography ©Lauren Bamford
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