Gnudi are gnocchi made with ricotta cheese rather than mashed potatoes. They’re much easier to make and have a delicate, fluffy texture. This time, I made them with buckwheat flour, and they turned out beautifully. Buckwheat flour imparted an earthy, almost nutty flavor that complemented the peas. If using a pastry bag is too much of a hassle, drop the mixture into boiling water with a teaspoon.
For the Buckwheat gnudi.
Ingredients:
- 150g ricotta cheese
- 25g grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
- 30g buckwheat flour
Directions:
Ricotta and Parmesan cheese should be combined in a medium mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, salt, and lemon zest. Combine the mixture with the cheeses and stir until smooth. Gently fold in the flour until just combined. Overmixing will result in gnudi that isn’t light and fluffy.
Refrigerate for at least an hour after transferring to a pastry bag fitted with a large open pastry tip. A large pot of salted water should be brought to a boil. Squeeze about 2cm of dough from the pastry bag and cut it into the boiling water with scissors, holding the bag as close to the water as possible to avoid splashing.
Quickly squeeze and cut. Cook the gnudi for at least 8 minutes, or until firm to the touch, after they rise to the surface of the water. Transfer the gnudi to a plate using a slotted spoon. Stay warm.
For the Pea and lemon cream sauce.
Ingredients:
- 100g frozen peas
- 100ml cooking cream
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- pinch of sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- pinch of chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- some gnudi cooking water
Directions:
Cook the peas for 2 minutes in salted boiling water. Drain and thoroughly rinse with ice-cold water. Heat cream and crushed garlic in a medium saucepan until warmed through. Season the peas with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Simmer for 5-8 minutes, or until the peas are warmed and soft.
Combine the cooked gnudi with the lemon zest. If necessary, thin the sauce with a tablespoon or two of gnudi cooking water. Cook for 2-3 minutes before serving with a shaved Parmesan cheese.
Commentary.
This dish is simply a variation on the tagliatelle we recently discovered. I decided to use gnudi instead of pasta because we love them and they’re so simple to make. Gnudi are light and fluffy gnocchi made from ricotta cheese. This time, I used buckwheat flour, which gave them a lovely earthy, almost nutty flavor. They’re also gluten-free.