Let me introduce you to the perfectly imperfect Italian classic, Malfatti.
Malfatti means ‘badly made’ in Italian and refers to the fact that these gnocchi-like Italian dumplings are made by hand, and therefore, not uniform in shape and size. Its form might not be perfect, but these gnocchi-like wonders deliver the highest level of comfort!
The dough is very simple to make so it’s a great way to take your first step into homemade pasta making. Mix cooked spinach, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, flour and egg. Then just season it and the dough is done! It’s that simple! And since they are supposed to be imperfect, the shaping is easy and fast.
Even though you could eat these Malfatti plain, I like to eat it with sauce. . In this recipe, I added a mushroom ragout and some roasted cherry tomatoes, which I think add some extra flavor and texture to the rather mild-tasting Malfatti. You can also serve them with a regular tomato, butter and sage, or a creamy sauce.
Like other gnocchi, the exterior of Malfatti is slightly soggy, and therefore, I like to cook them for another 3 minutes in a frying pan after cooking them in boiling water, just to make their surface a bit more dry. They will stay super moist and fluffy on the inside while maintaining their melt-in-your mouth texture.You won’t be able to get enough of them, and you’ll always want to come back for more.
Next time you seek some real comfort food, try these delicious Italian dumplings.
SPINACH RICOTTA MALFATTI WITH MUSHROOM RAGOUT
INGREDIENTS
Spinach Ricotta Malfatti
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 500 g fresh spinach washed
- 250 g of ricotta cheese
- 125 g all-purpose flour plus a little more for the work surface
- 1 egg
- 125 g Parmesan cheese finely grated
- 1 pinch nutmeg finely ground
- 1 tbsp salt
- A little white pepper
Mushroom Ragout
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 onions finely chopped
- 500 g mushrooms cut into strips
- 50 ml rum
- 300 ml vegetable broth
- A little salt
- A little black pepper
Smokey Cherry Tomatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 sprigs of rosemary
- 6 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
- 500 g cherry tomatoes
- 2 pinches of salt
- A little black pepper
To cook/serve
- Salted boiling water to cook the Malfatti
INSTRUCTIONS
Spinach Ricotta Malfatti
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat, add the spinach in batches and cook until soft. Transfer to a strainer and let cool. Gently press the spinach to squeeze out all the excess water, place it on a cutting board, and chop finely. Then, place in a large bowl.
- Add the ricotta cheese, flour, egg, Parmesan cheese, and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix until everything is well-incorporated and you have a moist dough. The dough should be sticky and you should be able to shape it into small balls. If the dough is too dry, add a little bit of extra egg; if the dough is too moist, add a little flour (but do not overdo it with the flour. Otherwise, your Malfatti will taste floury).
- With your hands, roll the dough into little, 3 cm (1.2 inch) diameter balls. Press your finger into the middle of each one to create a disc-like, dented form. Place on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Repeat until all the dough is used up.
Mushroom Ragout
- In a non-stick frying pan, melt butter over medium-high heat, add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the mushrooms and sauté for about 7 minutes until golden brown. Deglaze with rum and simmer until all the liquid has evaporated. Then, add the vegetable stock and reduce it by half. Add the mascarpone and simmer briefly for another 2 minutes until well-incorporated. Season with black pepper and some salt, if needed. Set aside and keep warm.
Smokey Cherry Tomatoes
- In a large, non-stick frying pan, heat olive oil. Add rosemary and garlic, and then sauté briefly for 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes and salt, and cook on medium heat for approx. 7 minutes. Remove garlic and rosemary, season with black pepper.
Cook/Serve
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt well. Add the Malfatti and cook for about 4 minutes al dente until they float to the top, drain very well with a strainer. Add the Malfatti to the tomatoes on the frying pan and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes until lightly coated with the oil from the tomatoes.
- Spoon some mushroom ragout on the serving plates and place Malfatti and smokey cherry tomatoes on top.
