CHARLOTTE’S NAUGHTY NUDI
Charlotte Horton, owner & winemaker, Castello di Potentino, Tuscany
"I love this dish as it is light and when the ricotta is at its sweetest in spring when you eat them, they make you feel like frisking and leaping in the grass like a little new born lamb. At Castello di Potentino we work very closely with the local cheesemakers and are currently using the wool from the flock to spin and weave into textiles. To me nudi represent the beauty of the virtuous circle in pastoral life where everything is used in a frugal but intelligent and pleasurable way.”
Gnudi (trans. naked ones) or Malfatti (badly made). In Gnudi the g is soft so ‘Nudi’.
These are essentially poached ricotta dumplings, known as ‘naked’ or ‘badly made’ as they do not have the pasta parcel that would make them into ravioli or tortelli. Lighter than gnocchi, they may be served with a toasted sage and olive oil infusion or other sauces of invention and choice. The most important ingredient is a sheep’s cheese ricotta which obviously is better the fresher and more home-made it is. The other vital factor is that the green leaf (spinach, chard, or stinging nettle or chicory) must be squeezed very dry after blanching and very finely chopped.
Photo: Ash Naylor
INGREDIENTS
Serves 6-8
600g ricotta (use real sheep milk ricotta)
200g blanched green leaves (spinach, chard, or stinging nettle or chicory)
2 eggs and yolks
Flour for rolling
Sage leaves sauteed in oil – do not burn and leave to infuse with a melted knob of butter if you wish. Melt do not cook.
Nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste
RECIPE
You’ll need a big pot of boiling water - be generous with the water. Salt when boiling but the boil must not be too violent else the gnudi will break up.
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and form little balls. Roll in flour into lozenge shapes.
Put in gently boiling water one by one
Take out with a sieve spoon when they pop to the surface
Plate them and dress with the sage and oil infusion. You may put grated parmesan into the mix but I find that too rich and so have it at table if anyone wants a sprinkle on top of the Gnudi. Pecorino is better, and local.
Remove your clothes and eat naked