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Home » Recipes » Gnocchi

Malfatti Ricotta Spinach Gnudi

Published: Dec 12, 2022 · Modified: Jan 21, 2023. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Recipe

Ricotta spinach Gnudi, also known as Malfatti, are pillowy gnocchi made with spinach and ricotta, no potatoes. Their names Gnudi "Naked" or Malfatti "Badly Made" refer to the fact that they are made only with the filling of spinach ricotta ravioli, without the pasta around it. They are boiled like gnocchi and then seasoned with melted butter flavored with sage.

Malfatti Ricotta Spinach Gnudi served on a plate
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • How to serve them
  • Substitutions and variation
  • Equipment
  • Storage
  • Top tip
  • 📋 Ricotta Spinach Gnudi

These ricotta spinach gnocchi are not the typical gnocchi made with potatoes.

They are made with the same ingredients as the ravioli filling ricotta and spinach but without the pasta dough.

They are held together with egg and Parmesan cheese. They are only coated with flour, so they remain soft and fluffy.

Cooked in boiling water like potato gnocchi, they float once ready.

They are usually seasoned with butter, sage, and more Parmesan in Italy, but you can also serve them in tomato sauce.

They are one of many other types of gnocchi recipes without potatoes.

Here you can find all the gnocchi recipes: potato gnocchi, fluffy gnocchi, vegan gnocchi, gnocchi alla Romana, Parisian gnocchi.

Although, gnocchi are not only made with potatoes.

For a complete view of all the gnocchi recipes, check the web story: 9 Gnocchi recipes made from scratch

Malfatti Ricotta Spinach Gnudi seasoned with butter and parmesan

Ingredients

The ingredients you need for this recipe are:

  • Spinach: You can use either fresh or frozen spinach. When cooked, spinach will reduce to 60% of their original weight. If you are using fresh spinach, you need 150% of the final cooked weight.
  • Ricotta: you can use cow, sheep, or goat ricotta; make sure it is properly drained
  • Eggs: we will only use egg yolks
  • Flour: it is used for coating only
  • Parmesan: you can also use Pecorino
  • Butter: for seasoning
  • Salt for seasoning

See recipe card for quantities.

gnudi ingredients with names

Instructions

This recipe follows three steps: the gnocchi dough preparation, the boiling, and the serving.

Preparing the gnocchi dough

fresh spinach in a pan
  1. Cook the spinach in a frying pan at medium heat
Spinach in a pan covered with a lid
  1. Cover with a lid to let them cook in their own steam

Hint: You can add some olive oil or butter to the pan, but it is unnecessary. They will slowly cook in their own steam.

Cooked spinach in apn
  1. Once the spinach are cooked, remove them from the heat and let them cool down
squeezing out the water from the spinach
  1. Squeeze out the water and place them in a bowl

Hint: you can also use frozen spinach. The spinach must be thoroughly drained from the water. You may want to squeeze them a couple of times

Roughly choping the spinach
  1. Roughly chop the spinach
chopped spinach in a bowl
  1. Place them into a bowl

Hint: you do not want the spinach chopped too finely as they form the structure of the gnudi

Working the ricotta with a fork
  1. In a separate bowl, work the ricotta with a fork to soften it
Mixing the ricotta with the spinach
  1. Add to the spinach and mix until they are combined

Hint: the ricotta should also be properly drained from its water

Adding the egg yolks to the spinach and the ricotta
  1. Add the egg yolks, the Parmesan and salt
All the ingredients well mixed
  1. Stir until all is combined

Hint: The most difficult part of the recipe is keeping the mixture compact when boiling. In some recipes, they add flour to the mixture. I prefer using egg yolks only. Egg yolks keep the mixture firm but light, while flour makes the gnudi heavy and chunky.

Boiling the gnudi

  1. Prepare a pan of salted boiling water and place a bowl with some flour next to it.
Forming the gnudi with two spoons
  1. With the help of two spoons, shape a ball of the ricotta spinach mixture into an oval 2 in - 5 cm long. Make sure the surface is smooth
Coating the gnudi with flour
  1. Coat it with flour
Placing the gnudi into boiling water
  1. Place the gnudi in the boiling water
Removing the gnudi from the water
  1. Once they start floating, you can remove them with a colander spoon and place them in a ceramic pan

Hint: the water should be boiling at medium heat; if it boils excessively, it may break the gnudi.

How to serve them

Pouring melted butter over the gnudi
  1. Melt some butter with the sage and pour it over the gnudi
Sprinkling with freshly grated parmesan
  1. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan and serve

Hint: If you want to serve them later, you can bake them in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until they are nicely hot.

Gnudi ready to be served

Substitutions and variation

Some regions use leaf vegetables other than spinach, like swiss chard or chicory. The result is very similar.

In Italy, we usually season them with butter, sage, and Parmesan, but you can also serve them in tomato sauce.

You can also prepare them in advance and bake them before serving them topped with Parmesan cheese or Pecorino.

gnudi served on a plate and broken with a fork

Equipment

You do not need any special equipment to make these gnocchi. A frying pan to cook the spinach and a saucepan to boil the gnocchi.

You will also need a strainer spoon to remove the gnudi from the boiling water.

Use nice ceramic or pyrex baking dishes to serve them on the table.

Storage

You can store the gnudi in the fridge for up to 3 days.

They are not suitable for freezing as they can get way too soggy.

gnudi ready to be served

Top tip

  • Some recipes boil the spinach, but it is best to steam them. We do not want the spinach to retain too much water.
  • You can also use frozen spinach. The spinach must be thoroughly drained from the water. You may want to squeeze them a couple of times.
  • The ricotta should also be properly drained from its water
  • You do not want the spinach chopped too finely as they form the structure of the gnudi.
  • The most difficult part of the recipe is keeping the mixture compact when boiling. In some recipes, they add flour to the mixture. I prefer using egg yolks only. Egg yolks keep the mixture firm but light, while the flour makes the gnudi heavy and chunky.
  • The water should be boiling at medium heat; if it boils excessively, it may break the gnudi.
  • If you want to serve them later, you can bake them in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until they are nicely hot.
gnudi ready to be served

If you are making any of these Malfatti Ricotta Spinach Gnudi, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, or sign up to my newsletter.

Malfatti Ricotta Spinach Gnudi

📋 Ricotta Spinach Gnudi

Ricotta spinach Gnudi, also known as Malfatti, are pillowy gnocchi made with spinach and ricotta, no potatoes. Their names Gnudi "Naked" or Malfatti "Badly Made" refer to the fact that they are made only with the filling of spinach ricotta ravioli, without the pasta around it. They are boiled like gnocchi and then seasoned with melted butter flavored with sage.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Cool off time 15 minutes
⏲️Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Print Rate SaveSaved!
Author: Laura Tobin

Ingredients
 
 

  • 4.4 lb Fresh spinach yield 2.8 lb - 1.3 kg cooked spinach
  • 1 lb ricotta
  • 3 egg yolk
  • 1 cup flour
  • 5 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan
  • ⅓ cup butter
  • 1 sprig sage
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • salt in the water
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Equipment

  • All-Clad Fry Pan
  • All-Clad Sauce Pan 3-Quart
  • Pyrex Baking Dishes
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Instructions

Preparing the gnocchi dough

  • Cook the spinach in a frying pan at medium heat
    4.4 lb Fresh spinach
  • Cover with a lid to let them cook in their own steam
  • Once the spinach are cooked, remove them from the heat and let them cool down
  • Squeeze out the water and place them in a bowl
  • Roughly chop the spinach
  • Place them into a bowl
  • In a separate bowl, work the ricotta with a fork to soften it
    1 lb ricotta
  • Add to the spinach and mix until they are combined
  • Add the egg yolks, the Parmesan and salt
    3 egg yolk, 5 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan
  • Stir until all is combined
    1 teaspoon salt

Boiling the gnudi

  • Prepare a pan of salted boiling water and place a bowl with some flour next to it.
  • With the help of two spoons, shape a ball of the ricotta spinach mixture into an oval 2 in - 5 cm long
  • Coat it with flour
    1 cup flour
  • Place the gnudi in the boiling water
  • Once they start floating, you can remove them with a colander spoon and place them in a ceramic pan

How to serve them

  • Melt some butter with some sage and pour it over the gnudi
    ⅓ cup butter, 1 sprig sage, salt
  • Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan and serve

Video

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Notes

  • Some recipes boil the spinach, but it is best to steam them. We do not want the spinach to retain too much water.
  • You can also use frozen spinach. The spinach must be thoroughly drained from the water. You may want to squeeze them a couple of times.
  • The ricotta should also be properly drained from its water
  • You do not want the spinach chopped too finely as they form the structure of the gnudi.
  • The most difficult part of the recipe is keeping the mixture compact when boiling. In some recipes, they add flour to the mixture. I prefer using egg yolks only. Egg yolks keep the mixture firm but light, while the flour makes the gnudi heavy and chunky.
  • The water should be boiling at medium heat; if it boils excessively, it may break the gnudi.
  • If you want to serve them later, you can bake them in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until they are nicely hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 866mg | Potassium: 1975mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 32005IU | Vitamin C: 93mg | Calcium: 554mg | Iron: 11mg
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More Gnocchi

  • Gnocchi Parisienne (Parisian Gnocchi)
  • Homemade Fluffy Vegan Gnocchi Recipes
  • How To Make Italian Gnocchi
  • Pumpkin Gnocchi With Cinnamon And Brown Butter
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Laura Giunta Tobin

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