Let’s start the new year with  something special, really from Tuscany where we live: gnudi are a typical Tuscan first course. The name means “nudi” , nude, because they are like the filling of ravioli not covered by  the pasta  all around, therefore naked. The origin of the gnudi is ancient ,of course uncertain, handed down from the Tuscan peasant tradition .Probably one of the many  gnocchi shaped  dish typically cooked  with other ingredients before the arrival of the potatoes  with the discovery of America. The gnudi are generally accompanied with a light tomato sauce or butter and sage,not too tasty so as not to cover too much their delicate flavor.

500g  steamed spinach  – 2 eggs -350 g. ricotta cheese

4 tablespoons Parmigiano – 2 spoons 00 flour/all-purpose/plain plus some more for working

nutmeg -salt and pepper

Squeeze as much water as possible out of the spinach with your hands.

Chop them finely. 

Mix in the eggs, ricotta ,  Parmigiano and flour

Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. 

Flour the palm of your hand, let a little ball of the mixture roll on your palm to create a  firm “gnudo”.

Make small dumplings out of the spinach mixture, using a good amount of flour to prevent them from sticking

Cook them in  salted boiling water 

They are ready when they start floating. Take them out of the water with a  colander ladle  .

  Serve with a sauce or cook them in a broth.

You can prepare them GF using rice flour .In that case let the mixture in the refrigerator to rest for half an hour before working the  little balls.