Black Kale Gnudi

Name: Black Kale Gnudi
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Italian kale (cavolo nero) (to clean) 1.5 lbs; Cow's milk ricotta cheese 1 ¼ cup; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese (to be grated) 1.8 oz; Type 00 flour 0.375 cup; Eggs 1; Nutmeg to taste; Water to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Mixed mushrooms cardoncelli, pioppini 4 cups; Garlic 1 clove; Butter 1.4 tbsp; Marjoram to taste; Sage to taste; Parsley (to chop) to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Fresh liquid cream 1 ½ cup; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese (to grate) 8.8 oz; Butter 3.5 oz; Sage to taste

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Serving: 4 persone
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Daniele Rossi

The black kale is an ingredient that is often found in first courses of Tuscan cuisine, for example in the famous ribollita. In this recipe, we use it to create a variation of another typical specialty: black kale gnudi! The gnudi are ricotta and spinach dumplings usually served with butter and sage. Instead, we opted for a mushroom sauce with the addition of a creamy Parmesan fondue... a delicious idea that will make the black kale gnudi even more irresistible. Perfect for the winter season, they will make you appreciate the typical flavors of tradition with an extra touch of creativity!

Don't miss these regional variations as well: the strangolapreti from Trentino and the Brescian malfatti!

INGREDIENTS

For about 16 gnudi: Italian kale (cavolo nero) 1.5 lbs (700 g) - (to clean); Cow's milk ricotta cheese 1 ¼ cup (280 g); Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1.8 oz (50 g) - (to be grated); Type 00 flour 0.375 cup (45 g); Eggs 1; Nutmeg to taste; Water to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

For the mushrooms: Mixed mushrooms 4 cups (500 g) - cardoncelli, pioppini; Garlic 1 clove; Butter 1.4 tbsp (20 g); Marjoram to taste; Sage to taste; Parsley to taste - (to chop); Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste

For the fondue: Fresh liquid cream 1 ½ cup (350 g); Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 8.8 oz (250 g) - (to grate)

To cook the gnudi: Butter 3.5 oz (100 g); Sage to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Black Kale Gnudi

To prepare the black kale gnudi, first clean the black kale: separate the leaves from the stems 1, then place the leaves in a large pot 2 with a little water 3.

Cover with the lid 4 and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes. After this time 5, transfer the black kale to a colander and let cool 6.

In the meantime, prepare the mushrooms: clean and roughly chop the king oyster mushrooms 7 and poplar mushrooms 8. In a pan, melt the butter in the oil 9.

Flavor with the aromatic herbs 10 and the clove of garlic in its skin 11, then add the poplar mushrooms 12.

Add the king oyster mushrooms 13, salt, and season with chopped parsley 14, then cook over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often 15; the mushrooms should still be slightly crunchy. Once cooked, remove the garlic and set aside.

Move on to the fondue: pour the fresh cream 16 and grated Parmigiano Reggiano DOP 17 into a saucepan, mix with a whisk and let thicken over medium-low heat for a few minutes until reaching the desired consistency 18. To achieve a sauce like ours, we recommend reaching 140-150°F. Set aside.

Take the black kale and squeeze it well with your hands to remove excess liquid 19, then finely chop it with a knife 20. Transfer the chopped black kale into a large bowl and add the ricotta 21.

Add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano DOP 22, the egg 23, and the flour 24.

Season with salt 25, pepper, and nutmeg 27, then mix the mixture by mashing it with a fork 27.

Scoop the mixture with a spoon and, with the help of another spoon, form quenelles 28 and place them on a tray 29. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and melt the butter with sage in a large pan over low heat 30.

Immerse the gnudi in the gently boiling water, handling them carefully as they are very soft and delicate 31. After blanching them, gently drain the gnudi and transfer them to the pan with the seasoning 32. Let them flavor over low heat for a few minutes, basting them with the flavored butter 33.

Place the gnudi on a plate, then dress with the mushrooms 34 and the fondue 35. Your black kale gnudi are ready to be served 36!

Storage

The black kale gnudi should preferably be consumed immediately. If necessary, you can store them in the refrigerator for a day, in an airtight container.

You can prepare the gnudi in advance and store them raw in the refrigerator covered for a maximum of 12 hours. Alternatively, you can freeze them for about 1 month and boil them while still frozen.

Advice

Do not throw away the black kale stems: they can be used to make a good vegetable broth, for example!

If the ricotta you use is watery, it is preferable to let it drain in a sieve before adding it to the mixture.

The dough for black kale gnudi is very soft, so it is important to handle them gently and cook them on low heat to prevent them from falling apart.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.