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Italian Malfatti; spinach and ricotta dumplings served with tomato sauce and garlic baguette.
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Malfatti Recipe: Italian Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings with Tomato Sauce

Malfatti are wonderfully light, Italian spinach and ricotta dumplings, almost like gnocchi, loaded with parmesan, with hints of nutmeg. I like to serve mine with a simple yet delicious silky smooth tomato sauce.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Anglo Italian
Keyword Malfatti, Malfatti with Tomato Sauce, spinach and ricotta dumplings, spinach and ricotta malfatti
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 2 Servings
Calories 754kcal
Author Brian Jones

Ingredients

For the Malfatti:

  • 450 g Spinach 1lb
  • 250 g Ricotta Cheese 1 Cup
  • 75 g Parmesan Cheese ¾ Cup
  • 1 Lemon (zest only)
  • 1 Large Egg Yolk
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon Grated Nutmeg
  • 4-5 tablespoon Semolina Flour

For the Tomato Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 2 Garlic Cloves
  • 375 ml Tomato Passata 1½ Cups
  • ¾ teaspoon Dried Sage
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1 Pinch Sugar

Instructions

  • Pour 250ml (1 cup) of boiling water into a large 25cm or 10" saucepan, add the spinach and cover it with a lid. Cook the spinach until it has wilted, then drain and run it under cold water to cool it quickly.
  • Transfer the spinach to a clean tea towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Finely chop the spinach and transfer it to a bowl.
    Malfatti Process Shot 1 of 8
    • You should end up with around 135g (¾ cup) of chopped spinach.
  • Grate the Parmesan cheese.
  • Zest the lemon.
  • Add the ricotta cheese to the bowl, grated Parmesan cheese, egg yolk, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
    Malfatti Process Shot 2 of 8
  • Add the semolina flour, start with 3 tablespoons, and then add the remaining as required whilst you are bringing together the dough for the dumplings.
    Malfatti Process Shot 3 of 8
    • You are looking for the dough to just come together without the dough sticking to your hands too much. If needs be, add more semolina flour.
    How much you will need depends on how well you squeeze the liquid from the spinach.
  • Form the dough into 10 dumplings roughly the size of a ping pong ball. Set aside whilst you start the tomato sauce.
    Malfatti Process Shot 4 of 8
    • Now is a good time to bring the water for the dumplings to a boil in a 25cm or 10" saucepan. Make sure that there is lots of water!
  • Bash the garlic cloves with the side of a knife, and remove the papery skin.
  • Heat a 25cm or 10" frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the olive oil and then the garlic cloves and cook until golden, this will take around 2-3 minutes.
    Malfatti Process Shot 5 of 8
  • Pour in the tomato passata, crush in the sage, add the salt, pepper and sugar. Stir, reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes.
    Malfatti Process Shot 6 of 8
  • Drop the dumplings into the water and cook until they begin to float. This will take around 5 minutes.
    • Time this so that it coincides with the tomato sauce being ready.
  • Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
    Malfatti Process Shot 7 of 8
  • Serve a pool of the tomato sauce on a plate, and add the dumplings.
    Malfatti Process Shot 8 of 8
    • I like to sprinkle with fresh chives.

Video

Notes

It is important that your ricotta is not too wet. I place mine in a cheese cloth overnight, and let it sit in the fridge over a sieve overnight.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 754kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 181mg | Sodium: 2681mg | Potassium: 2090mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 22914IU | Vitamin C: 79mg | Calcium: 978mg | Iron: 11mg
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