You may have noticed that the word ‘gnudi’ sounds a lot like the word ‘nudey’, so I was amused to find out that this dish actually means ‘nude’, as it essentially ravioli filling without the pasta. 

These are supposed to be light and airy, so don’t handle these excessively or put any flour through the mix or this will make them heavy.

They look like the kind of recipe that should take hours to make, but in actual fact you can have this on the table in 30 minutes, which makes this a brilliant recipe for a weeknight.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 350g firm ricotta
• 300g cooked spinach, drained and chopped
• 2 eggs, beaten
• nutmeg, a pinch
• 50g plain flour
• 50g unsalted butter
• grated parmesan to serve (or vegetarian alternative)

Instructions

1. Make the gnudi by mixing the ricotta, spinach and egg until well combined, then season and add the nutmeg. You should have a thick mixture that holds together.
2. Put the flour in a bowl and with fllour on your hands, roll walnut sized balls of the mixture into the flour and put on a floured plate until they are all made.
3. Boil a large pot of water, before turning the heat down to a simmer over a low heat. Drop the gnudi gently into the water and cook until they float, or 4 minutes.
4. In the meantime, melt the butter in a frying pan, add 2-3 tablespoons of the cooking water and a small grating of parmesan and a pinch of pepper. Swirl the pan to create a thick sauce.
5. When the gnudi are ready, place in the sauce and coat them with the sauce before serving with a covering of parmesan cheese.