Anna Klinger’s Malfatti (Gnocchi Gnudi)
Overview:
🕒 Prep Time: 1 hour
🍳 Cook Time: 10 minutes
🕒 Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
🍽️ Servings: 4
Description:
Naked pasta, as delightful as it sounds, Anna Klinger’s Malfatti is a savory revelation from the pages of the NYT Magazine. This recipe beckons with its simplicity and indulgent flavors. It’s essential to ensure the Swiss chard is thoroughly dried after blanching to maintain the perfect texture of these gnocchi-like delights. These little pillows of joy aren’t just for the immediate indulgence; they’re ideal for make-aheads, whether it’s a sophisticated appetizer or a comforting late-night meal fix.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- Kosher salt
- 4 cups Swiss chard, blanched and dried
- 8 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 egg yolks
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh sage leaves
- Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Instructions:
-
Prepare Ricotta:
- Drain the ricotta in a sieve lined with cheesecloth overnight in the refrigerator.
- Measure out 1 1/4 cups.
-
Prepare Swiss Chard:
- Bring a large pot of water to boil.
- Trim the Swiss chard, removing all the stems and large ridges.
- Add half of the chard to the boiling water and cook until soft, about 3 minutes.
- Transfer cooked chard to a bowl of ice water.
- Repeat with the remaining chard.
- Squeeze out excess moisture from the chard using your hands.
- Spread the chard on a dish towel in a circle shape.
- Roll up the towel and twist the end to squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
- Pulse the dried chard in a food processor until fine.
- Squeeze out any remaining moisture with a dish towel until very dry, yielding about one cup.
-
Mix and Shape:
- Melt half of the butter.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the chard and ricotta.
- Add melted butter, flour, 1 heaping teaspoon of salt, and nutmeg. Mix well.
- Incorporate egg yolks and whole egg, then season with pepper.
- Sprinkle a cutting board with flour.
- Shape the mixture into 1-ounce balls, roughly 1 tablespoon each, and place them on the floured board. You should have 25-30 balls.
- Roll each ball in flour to form ovals, using a narrow wineglass for shaping.
-
Cooking:
- At this point, you may freeze the malfatti.
- When ready to cook, directly transfer frozen malfatti to boiling water.
- Boil for about 10 minutes until cooked through.
- In a separate sauté pan, melt the remaining butter until bubbling.
- Add sage leaves and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Season with salt.
-
Serve:
- Drain the cooked malfatti and place them on serving plates.
- Spoon the butter and sage sauce over the malfatti.
- Finish with a generous grating of fresh Parmesan cheese over each plate.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving):
- Calories: 780.1
- Fat: 67.4g
- Saturated Fat: 40.8g
- Cholesterol: 410.9mg
- Sodium: 1344.5mg
- Carbohydrates: 24.7g
- Fiber: 6.4g
- Sugar: 4.8g
- Protein: 25.3g
Keywords:
Cheese, European, Weeknight, Stove Top, < 4 Hours
This tantalizing recipe, with its delicate balance of flavors and textures, promises to elevate any dining experience. Whether you’re seeking a quick weeknight meal or a sophisticated appetizer, Anna Klinger’s Malfatti is sure to impress with its rustic charm and culinary finesse. Enjoy! 🍽️
