Rain rain, go away

I suppose I asked for this constant drizzle when I decided to go to school in Seattle, but it still bums me out every time. The sky is gray-white. No variation; no hint of sunlight or clouds or anything beyond the stifling layer of fogginess. It's a downer, that's for sure. I like to stay cooped up on days like this, reading, writing, maybe working on homework or watching tv. Possibly sleeping. If I had the opportunity, it would also be the perfect time to try out a new recipe or enjoy an old favorite. The following recipe is ideal for cold, rainy days. It takes a little bit of patience to make and clean up, but the end result is completely worth it. The only way I can describe these little spheres of heaven is that it is like taking the inside of a spinach ricotta ravioli, shaping it into a ball, and boiling it until it becomes light and fluffy and delectable. I first experienced these at a restaurant in Philadelphia: Osteria. It is one of the best (if not the best) authentic Italian food I have ever had in the United States. I will do a review in a later post. It took a bit of practice and tampering with ingredients, but I finally have a recipe that I am satisfied with. If you ever want to try something new, try this recipe. It is a great appetizer and completely delicious. I find the Gnudi tastes better if you sing while making it.


Spinach-Ricotta Gnudi


Ingredients
1 (30 oz) container ricotta

7 oz frozen spinach

5 oz g all-purpose flour

1 egg

1/4 C butter

 pinch nutmeg

large pinch sea salt

Directions

Microwave the frozen spinach until it defrosted. After letting it sit, squeeze as much moisture out of the spinach as you can. Leave the spinach out on a drying rack for about an hour before use. If there is any excess water in the spinach, the resulting Gnudi will be soggy. 

Boil a large pot of pasta water (water with salt). Once it comes to a full boil, bring it down to a steady simmer. Combine the ricotta, spinach, egg, salt and nutmeg in a bowl. Roll balls approximately the size of a one-inch bouncy ball; coat in flour. Gently place the Gnudi one ball at a time into the pot; do not overcrowd. When the Gnudi floats to the top, let them stay there for about 25 seconds, then take them out with a slotted spoon and place on a plate to dry. 

While the Gnudi is drying, brown ¼ cup of butter. To achieve this, place the butter in a skillet and let melt until it becomes a brownish color. Do not let the butter burn. Grate 1 cup of Parmesan cheese. 

Place the Gnudi into a baking dish and drizzle with brown butter, then sprinkle with Parmesan. Keep in a slightly warm oven until ready to eat. 

Enjoy this recipe!! If you try any variations on it, have problems, found solutions, etc, I would love to hear about it. Happy eating. 

Laura