Ricotta Gnudi with Black Truffle.
Ricotta gnudi with black truffle is a heavenly dish made with Tuscan gnudi. Even without black truffles you will love these divine ricotta dumplings!
Gnudi di ricotta con tartufo.
We all know that there are a lot of mouthwatering dishes in Italian cuisine. The list is endless even if I just stick to pasta and gnocchi. I include gnocchi under the pasta banner because types of gnocchi include similar ingredients to pasta and Italians serve and cook them in the same way. In fact, there are many ‘sauces’ that can be, and are, eaten with either pasta or gnocchi!
One particular totally (and I mean totally) mouthwatering dish I fell in love with many years ago was ricotta gnudi. Until now, I hadn’t made them myself. But, finally I have crossed one thing off my bucket list! I have made ricotta gnudi!!
What are ricotta gnudi?
Gnudi are dumplings from Tuscany, where they usually make them with spinach in the dough. In reality they are a ravioli filling without the pasta. However, these ricotta gnudi don’t have spinach. These are melt-in-your-mouth dumplings made with ricotta, eggs, flour, Parmesan, lemon zest and nutmeg.
Why ricotta gnudi without spinach?
I decided to make these gnudi without spinach because I had some black truffles to use up! Amazing thing to be able to say, but my hubby came home with a bag full of black truffles the other day; actually about 20! The first recipe I made with these marvels was tagliolini with taleggio and black truffles. Check out that recipe to read more about truffles in Italy and how I ended up with so many!
So, because truffles have such a umami flavour that doesn’t go with everything, spinach was out. At least for this gnudi recipe. First, I kept it very simple and dressed the ricotta gnudi with black truffle shavings, browned butter and a sprinkling of Parmigiano. However, I made extra gnudi, kept them in the fridge and served them to friends the next day with the same taleggio sauce as the other black truffle recipe I mentioned above (sadly no photos of that as it was evening and the light wasn’t good enough).
Simple to make.
Ricotta gnudi are pretty simple to make. However, you do need to keep the dough in the fridge for a while before cooking. At least I think so. I have read different opinions about that. Some people cook them immediately, others leave them in the fridge for 24 hours. I left the dough for the first lot in the fridge for about 3 hours. Then formed all the gnudi, rolled them in semolina flour and boiled the first batch in unsalted water. They were fantastic!
The remaining gnudi I used the following day had been in the fridge for more than 24 hours. They were really yummy too, just a little firmer and slightly heavier than the first batch. But, as I’m sure you can imagine, they were divine with the taleggio sauce and black truffle shavings.
Other ways to serve ricotta gnudi.
If you don’t have black truffles you can serve these ricotta dumplings with just the browned butter and grated cheese. Otherwise, they are delicious with a porcini mushroom sauce like in my recipe for tagliatelle with porcini or just a sage butter like in my recipe for homemade pumpkin gnocchi with sage butter. Ricotta gnudi nudi are also delicious with a homemade tomato sauce.
Whichever way you serve these ricotta gnocchi, I’m sure you’re going to agree that they are one of the most mouthwatering Italian recipes you have tried!
If you do make this ricotta gnudi with black truffle recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out and if you liked it. So, please leave a comment here on the blog or on The Pasta Project Facebook page.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Buon Appetito!
Some other black truffle recipes on The Pasta Project
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Ricotta gnudi with black truffle is a heavenly dish made with Tuscan gnudi (gnocchi). Even without black truffles you will love these divine ricotta dumplings!
- 400 g fresh ricotta (14oz) cow's or sheep's ricotta
- 60 g flour (2oz) all purpose or '00'.
- 90 g Parmigiano (3oz) grated
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- black pepper as required
- salt as required
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Drain the ricotta of any liquid and put it in a bowl with 2/3 of the grated Parmigiano, the egg, the egg yolk and the flour, after passing it through a sieve. Grate a little nutmeg and some lemon zest and a pinch of salt into the mixture.
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Mix everything carefully with a fork. You can also use your hands but you don’t want to knead this dough, just make sure all the ingredients are well incorporated. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave it to rest for at least 2 hours in the fridge.
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Place some baking paper on a tray and sprinkle with semolina flour (or normal flour) You can use wet hands to make the balls. I used an ice-cream/melon scope to get the same quantity of gnudi mixture for each ball. Place the gnudi balls on the tray and roll a little to cover each ball slightly in flour.
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Put a pot of water onto boil and, in the meantime, melt the butter in a skillet or frying pan. It needs to brown but not burn. Cook the gnudi in the boiling water for 2-4 minutes, as soon as they come to the surface remove with a slotted spoon.
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The cooking time will depend on the size of your gnudi. Then either add them to the pan with the melted the butter or plate them and pour the butter over them. Serve with a sprinkling of Parmigiano and truffle shavings.
If you don’t have black truffles you can serve these ricotta gnudi with just the browned butter and grated cheese. Otherwise, see the article for other recipe ideas.
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This sounds lovely, I tried truffles for the first time when I was in Croatia. I will try this recipe out.
Thank you Mrs d! I’ve had truffles in Croatia too, particularly in Istria! I’m sure you’ll love making this dish at home!
I never heard about this dish before, but it certainly looks amazing and worth trying.
Ana it’s divine! I hope you’ll try it!
These look so great. Do you think it would be possible to substitute coconut flour for the all purpose flour?
Thanks Kez! I’ve never made gnudi with coconut flour, so I can’t advise you on that. But am sure there are gluten free flours that would work. Perhaps rice flour?
I love Italian food and this is one recipe I’ve never tried. I’m looking forward to tasting ricotta gnudi!
Ricotta gnudi are fantastic Patrice. I’m sure you’ll agree if you try them!
I’ve never tried ricotta gnudi before, but it looks delicious! I’d love to try this for the holidays!
We love ricotta gnudi and I’m sure you will too!
The gnudi sound so good – I love anything with ricotta anyway. We get relatively few sorts of mushrooms here but I might be able to make that porcini sauce.
I love ricotta too Beth! A porcini sauce would go really well with these gnudi! Let me know how it turns out if you make it.
I always love coming back to your website for the awesome content. Thanks a lot for this recipe. Will try this at home
Thanks for your comment Anindya! I’m thrilled you like my website! Enjoy the gnudi!
I adore ricotta gnudi but then add amazing black truffles and this is just perfection in a bowl. My next anniversary with my husband this will be our at home special meal!!!
I agree Angela, gnudi with truffles is a match made in foodie heaven!
Any food with truffles gets an immediate yes from me!
Me too Rachel! Truffles are called the diamonds of the kitchen in Italy and I totally understand why!
What an exciting recipe, I will have to try it!
I’m sure you’ll totally fall in love with this gnudi and truffles recipe Michelle!
oh.. I will have to try this out. It looks so delicious.
Thank you Lina! Yes ricotta gnudi with truffles is divinely delicious!
Oh wow – this dish looks fantastic. I love truffles!
Grazie Nart! I love truffles too!
Can you freeze the gnudi?
Hi Tara, I have never frozen Gnudi, but I have read that you can. Apparently they can stay in the freezer for up to 1 month and should be cooked from frozen.
I absolutely love making Gnudi the are so delicious! I’ve never had them with truffles before but I’m sure it would be heaven! Great recipe!
This looks like the perfect comfort food that not only will fill your belly but will impress your family too! Amazing!
My husband and I made this dish and while it was time-consuming, it was so worth it. The gnudi were good!! Really glad to discover Gnudi!
I’ve never heard of ricotta dumplings before but I bet they taste out of this world – especially when truffle is added to the equation, my gosh! <3
This sounds absolutely incredible. Black truffles are my favorite, and I although ive never had gnudi, they sound delicious with the ricotta cheese!
Thank you Danielle! I love black truffles too and am always on the look out for great truffle recipes. This is definitely one! The combination of the gnudi and the black truffle is divine!
I’ve always had a thing for gnocchi but I’ve never had ricotta gnudi before. I would love to try it with the truffles and also with the spinach. Might be a good way to get my kids to eat spinach! LOL 🙂 Beautiful mouthwatering dish! 🙂
Thanks so much dearest Sherri! Ricotta gnudi really are melt-in-your-mouth delicious, with truffles and without! I hope you’ll try them!
So incredibly comforting – I like the idea of truffle in with the rich cheesy dough.
Thank you Caroline! Truffles with cheese are a wonderful combo!
I am always looking for new ways to try truffle and this looks delicious.
This is a super way to serve truffles Danielle. I’m sure you’ll agree if you try it!
What a fantastic dish! I’ve never tried ricotta gnudi before, but it looks delicious! I wish I could try it right now.
Thanks so much Marie! Ricotta gnudi are divinely delicious, even just with browned butter or a sage butter! I hope you’ll give them a try!
Pure Italian comfort food! I need to get my hands on some black truffles.
Yes, Italian cuisine really does include so much yummy comfort food Ellen! I hope you’ll give this recipe a try if you get some black truffles although the gnudi are delicious with sage butter too!
What an elegant meal! I’d love to try this for the holidays!
Grazie Allison. The truffles certainly make this an elegant meal which would be perfect for a special occasion! I hope you’ll make it!
Never heard of ricotta gnudi but sounds and looks delicious a real celebratory meal with all those truffle shavings what a feast! LOve Italian cuisine it is simple but so elegant and tasty.
Thank you Adriana! I also think this is a fab dish for a special occasion. Simple but elegant and divinely delicious!