Hand made spinach and Ricotta Gnudi with a triple tomato sauce

Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi with triple tomato sauce

For the Gnudi

Serves 4 – 6

600g baby leaf spinach

1 tbs olive oil

450g ricotta

85 g – 90 g plain white flour, sifted

40g Parmesan, grared

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

A few gratings of fresh nutmeg

Salt and pepper

For the Tomato Sauce

1 x 400 g chopped tinned tomatoes

1 red onion, about 85 g, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

2 – 3 pieces sundried tomato, chopped and soaked in boiling water to soften

4 tbs olive oil

4 cloves garlic, 3 sliced and one chopped very small

Dash chilli sauce

Pinch soft brown sugar

Salt and pepper

To Serve

50g Parmesan, grated

Small sprigs basil

To make the Gnudi

Start by making the tomato sauce. Fry the chopped red onion in two tablespoons of olive oil, till translucent and soft.

Add the garlic, salt and pepper and fry for another minute or two before adding first the freshly chopped tomatoes, the tinned tomatoes and the soaked sun - dried tomatoes, including their soaking liquid.

Cook on a low to medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly and adding another couple of tablespoons of olive oil. The sauce needs to be thick and luscious, no watery liquid.

Then make the Gnudi.

Bring a large pot of water to the boil, slicked with a spoonful of olive oil and well salted.

Warm a tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan and wilt the spinach in it till soft.

Allow to cool for a few minutes.

Squeeze into a sieve to remove all excess liquid.

Chop quite small and season with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg.

Return to a bowl and add all the grated Parmesan and flour. Mix till well combined but not too long, as you don’t want the gluten to overdevelop.

Form into plum size balls.

Use a slotted spoon to lower the Gnudi into the boiling water. Let them boil till they float up to the surface which will take about 3 minutes. Then keep cooking them for another minute before removing with a slotted spoon to a waiting plate.

Now, spoon tomato sauce into the prepared bowls and divide the Gnudi between the bowls. There will be about 6 each.

Scatter generously with Parmesan and black pepper and garnish with a few small sprigs of basil.

Serve at once.