Malfatti – Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings in Tomato Sauce

Name: Malfatti – Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings in Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Argentine
Ingredients: 1 bunch of fresh spinach, washed and stems removed; 250 g ricotta (1 cup); 2 onions, chopped or grated; 70 g all-purpose flour (plain flour), about 1/2 cup, plus extra for rolling; 2 egg yolks; 50 g grated Parmesan; 3 slices of cooked ham, chopped; 2 tbsp butter; 1/4 tsp nutmeg; 500 ml crushed tomatoes (2 cups); 1 carrot, grated; 1 garlic clove, chopped; 1 onion, sliced, for the sauce; Olive oil, fresh basil and parsley, salt, pepper and 1 tsp sugar

⏱ 50 min in total🔪 20 min prep🍳 30 min cooking🍽 4 portiesMedium

Malfatti means "badly made" in Italian — they are the gnocchi with no potato and no shape, made from spinach and ricotta. The name is the point: they are not supposed to be pretty. Which is exactly why they always work.

The only step where they fail is the moisture. Spinach and ricotta are cooked together for three minutes, stirring, so as much water as possible evaporates. Leave it in and the dough needs more flour, and then they are not dumplings any more, they are stodge.

They are done as soon as they float — one to two minutes. Related are the spinach, ham and ricotta cannelloni.

The same moisture ruins the spinach and Parmesan fritters: there you squeeze it out, here you cook it off.

Ingredients

Measurements

🍽 4 servings

1 bunch of fresh spinach, washed and stems removed
250 g ricotta (1 cup)
2 onions, chopped or grated
70 g all-purpose flour (plain flour), about 1/2 cup, plus extra for rolling
2 egg yolks
50 g grated Parmesan
3 slices of cooked ham, chopped
2 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp nutmeg
500 ml crushed tomatoes (2 cups)
1 carrot, grated
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 onion, sliced, for the sauce
Olive oil, fresh basil and parsley, salt, pepper and 1 tsp sugar

Method

1
For the malfatti: soften the spinach with the onion in butter. Add the ricotta and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, so the mixture loses as much moisture as possible.
2
Take it off the heat and add the flour, the egg yolks, the Parmesan and the cooked ham. Season with salt, pepper and plenty of nutmeg. Mix well.
3
Roll balls of about 3-4 cm — they do not need to be neat — and turn them lightly in a bowl of flour.
4
For the sauce: soften the sliced onion, the garlic and the carrot in olive oil. Add the crushed tomatoes, basil and parsley. Season and cook over medium heat until it thickens. Add the sugar to balance the acidity.
5
Blend the sauce to a smooth, even texture.
6
Cook the malfatti in plenty of boiling salted water for 1 to 2 minutes. As soon as they float they are done — lift them out and serve immediately with the hot tomato sauce and extra cheese.