Description
A delicious Italian dish made with fresh nettle leaves and ricotta cheese, perfect for a unique meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups fresh nettle leaves, washed and stems removed
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Fresh sage leaves, for garnish
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the nettle leaves and blanch for about 2 minutes until wilted. Drain and immediately transfer the nettles to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, drain again and squeeze out excess moisture. Chop finely and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, grated Parmesan, chopped nettles, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Mix until well combined.
- Gradually add the flour to the ricotta mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour as needed.
- Dust a clean surface with flour. Divide the dough into small portions and roll each portion into a log about 1 inch in diameter. Cut the logs into 1-inch pieces to form the gnudi.
- Bring a large pot of salted water back to a gentle boil. Carefully drop the gnudi into the water, cooking in batches if necessary. Cook for about 3-4 minutes or until they float to the surface.
- While the gnudi are cooking, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add fresh sage leaves and cook until the butter is lightly browned and the sage is crispy.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked gnudi to the skillet with the browned butter. Gently toss to coat.
- Serve the gnudi warm, garnished with crispy sage leaves and additional grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Notes
- If you can’t find fresh nettles, you can substitute with spinach or Swiss chard for a similar texture and flavor.
- For a richer flavor, add a pinch of garlic powder or sauté minced garlic in the butter before adding the sage.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Boiling and Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 80mg