Spinach & Ricotta Gnudi with Lemon, Sage & Pine Nut Brown Butter Sauce

A nod to the Italian keto mummas for this comforting dish! The soft, pillowy gnocchi-like dumplings are made with ricotta instead of potato, which makes them lighter and less chewy than their cousins. The gnudi are then baked instead of boiled and drenched in a wonderfully buttery finger-licking sauce.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

Gnudi

• 150g baby spinach leaves
• 1 cup ricotta
• 1 egg, whisked
• ½ cup grated Parmesan, plus a few shavings to garnish
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• zest of 1 lemon
• ½ tsp sea salt, plus extra to flurry on top
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Lemon, Sage & Pine Nut Brown Butter Sauce

• 100g butter
• 20 sage leaves
• 3 tbsp pine nuts
• big pinch of dried chilli flakes or sweet smoked paprika flakes
• juice of ½ lemon

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

First up, blanch the spinach by boiling the kettle and pouring the boiling water over the spinach to wilt. Drain off the water quickly, as otherwise it will continue to cook. Allow the spinach to cool slightly, then squeeze dry with your hands and chop finely.

Place the spinach in a bowl with the remaining gnudi ingredients and mix well. Roll the mixture into balls, then place them on the prepared tray and bake for 20 minutes or until golden. While they are baking make the sauce.

Place the butter in a saucepan or frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once the butter has nearly melted, add the sage leaves, pine nuts and dried chilli flakes, and continue to cook for 2–3 minutes, until the sage is frizzled and the butter has gone a lovely golden-brown colour and smells sweet and nutty. Remove from the heat and squeeze in the lemon juice. Stir to combine.

Place the gnudi in a serving bowl and drizzle with the butter sauce, then add shavings of Parmesan and season once more. Serve immediately.