Malfatti (Italian Spinach Ricotta Dumplings in Napoli Sauce)

Traditional Italian spinach and ricotta dumplings served in a rich homemade Napoli sauce, baked until golden and topped with Parmesan and fresh basil.

italian

Nutrition

Provides moderate protein from ricotta and eggs, calcium from cheese, iron and vitamins from spinach, with moderate calorie and fat content.

calories 713 kcal
energy 2981 kJ
protein 40 g
total fat 42 g
saturated fat 21 g
trans fat 0 g
polyunsaturated fat 3 g
monounsaturated fat 13 g
cholesterol 180 mg
carbohydrate 46 g
sugars 16 g
dietary fibre 7 g
sodium 1213 mg
*per serving
VegetarianPescatarianHalalKosherNut FreePeanut FreeSesame FreeSoy FreeShellfish FreeSugar FreeHigh ProteinHigh FibreNutritious

This information is AI-estimated. For the most accurate details, please rely on product packaging. Always consult your doctor for professional dietary advice.

Malfatti (Italian Spinach Ricotta Dumplings in Napoli Sauce)

RecipeTin Eats (Nagi)

4

servings

0

per serve

0

minutes

Save this recipe to your personal collection, manage your grocery lists and access the step-by-step cooking assistant with the Tasty Bites app.
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Ingredients
Napoli Sauce:
Olive Oil
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Garlic
2 cloves Garlic
finely minced
Onion
0.5 Onion
very finely diced
Crushed Tomato
800 g Crushed Tomato
or diced
Tomato Paste
1 tbsp Tomato Paste
Water
0.5 cup Water
Basil Stem
1 Basil Stem
leaves kept for the Malfatti
White Sugar
0.5 tsp White Sugar
Salt
0.75 tsp Salt
Black Pepper
0.5 tsp Black Pepper
Spinach For Malfatti:
Baby Spinach
300 g Baby Spinach
~6 tightly packed cups
Salt
0.5 tsp Salt
Malfatti:
Olive Oil
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Garlic
2 cloves Garlic
finely minced
Eschallot
1 large Eschallot
finely chopped (or 1/2 red onion)
Ricotta
500 g Ricotta
must be dry type, not wet and spreadable
Basil Leaves
0.25 cup Basil Leaves
lightly packed, finely sliced (use stem for sauce)
Egg
1 Egg
Egg Yolk
1 Egg Yolk
Parmesan
1 cup Parmesan
finely grated
Flour
0.5 cup Flour
plain / all-purpose
Salt
0.5 tsp Salt
Black Pepper
0.5 tsp Black Pepper
Serving:
Parmesan
0.25 cup Parmesan
finely grated
Basil Leaves
Basil Leaves
small (optional)

Equipment
Small pot

Small pot

Large colander

Large colander

Tea towel

Tea towel

Dessert spoons

Dessert spoons

Paper-lined tray

Paper-lined tray

Large pot

Large pot

Slotted spoon

Slotted spoon


Instructions
1
Napoli Sauce:
2
Saute garlic and onion: Heat oil in a small pot or large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook for 3 minutes until onion is softened.
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 cloves Garlic
    finely minced
  • 0.5 Onion
    very finely diced
3
Simmer sauce: Add remaining ingredients plus the stem of basil. Bring to a simmer, then reduce stove to low and cook, stirring every now and then, for 20 minutes. It should be fairly thick rather than a loose runny sauce.
  • 800 g Crushed Tomato
    or diced
  • 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 0.5 cup Water
  • 1 Basil Stem
    leaves kept for the Malfatti
  • 0.5 tsp White Sugar
  • 0.75 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Black Pepper
4
Malfatti:
5
Drain ricotta, if needed: The ricotta should be the dry and fairly crumbly type rather than wet, soft and almost spreadable. If it's wet, see Note 1 for removing excess water (wet ricotta makes Malfatti hard to shape and cook!)
6
Sweat spinach: Toss spinach with 1/2 tsp salt in large colander. Leave for 20 minutes. Roll up in tea towel and squeeze tightly to remove excess liquid. Roughly chop.
  • 300 g Baby Spinach
    ~6 tightly packed cups
  • 0.5 tsp Salt
7
Sauté garlic, eschalot and spinach: Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and eschalot, cook for 1 minute until translucent. Add spinach and cook until just wilted. Transfer to large bowl, allow to cool.
  • 1 large Eschallot
    finely chopped (or 1/2 red onion)
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 cloves Garlic
    finely minced
8
Malfatti mixture: Add ricotta and all remaining Malfatti ingredients into the bowl. Mix well to combine. It should be too wet to roll with hands without sticking, but still firm enough to shape into dumplings.
  • 500 g Ricotta
    must be dry type, not wet and spreadable
  • 0.25 cup Basil Leaves
    lightly packed, finely sliced (use stem for sauce)
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 Egg Yolk
  • 1 cup Parmesan
    finely grated
  • 0.5 cup Flour
    plain / all-purpose
  • 0.5 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Black Pepper
9
Form dumplings: Using 2 dessert spoons, scoop up about 1 1/2 tablespoons of mixture then shape into a football (quenelle) using the two spoons. Place on a paper-lined tray. You should get about 24-30.
10
Boil dumplings: Bring a large pot of water to the boil, then carefully put 6 dumplings in. Cook for 2 minutes, they should float to the surface. Remove with slotted spoon on to paper towel lined tray. Repeat for remaining Malfatti.
11
Baking:
12
Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
13
Assemble: Pour Napoli Sauce into a baking dish, then top with Malfatti. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
14
Bake 15 minutes or until the Malfatti has a faint blush of gold on the surface (Note 3).
15
Serve! Sprinkle baked Malfatti with parmesan and basil leaves (tear large leaves). Spoon into bowls and served as-is. No starchy side is required, think of these as like gnocchi. Just add a leafy green salad with Italian Dressing or Balsamic Dressing!
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan
    finely grated
  • Basil Leaves
    small (optional)
Malfatti (Italian Spinach Ricotta Dumplings in Napoli Sauce)

Malfatti (Italian Spinach Ricotta Dumplings in Napoli Sauce)

RecipeTin Eats (Nagi)

4

servings

0

per serve

0

minutes

Traditional Italian spinach and ricotta dumplings served in a rich homemade Napoli sauce, baked until golden and topped with Parmesan and fresh basil.

italian
Save this recipe to your personal collection, manage your grocery lists and access the step-by-step cooking assistant with the Tasty Bites app.
Login to Continue
Ingredients
Napoli Sauce:
Olive Oil
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Garlic
2 cloves Garlic
finely minced
Onion
0.5 Onion
very finely diced
Crushed Tomato
800 g Crushed Tomato
or diced
Tomato Paste
1 tbsp Tomato Paste
Water
0.5 cup Water
Basil Stem
1 Basil Stem
leaves kept for the Malfatti
White Sugar
0.5 tsp White Sugar
Salt
0.75 tsp Salt
Black Pepper
0.5 tsp Black Pepper
Spinach For Malfatti:
Baby Spinach
300 g Baby Spinach
~6 tightly packed cups
Salt
0.5 tsp Salt
Malfatti:
Olive Oil
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Garlic
2 cloves Garlic
finely minced
Eschallot
1 large Eschallot
finely chopped (or 1/2 red onion)
Ricotta
500 g Ricotta
must be dry type, not wet and spreadable
Basil Leaves
0.25 cup Basil Leaves
lightly packed, finely sliced (use stem for sauce)
Egg
1 Egg
Egg Yolk
1 Egg Yolk
Parmesan
1 cup Parmesan
finely grated
Flour
0.5 cup Flour
plain / all-purpose
Salt
0.5 tsp Salt
Black Pepper
0.5 tsp Black Pepper
Serving:
Parmesan
0.25 cup Parmesan
finely grated
Basil Leaves
Basil Leaves
small (optional)

Equipment
Small pot

Small pot

Large colander

Large colander

Tea towel

Tea towel

Dessert spoons

Dessert spoons

Paper-lined tray

Paper-lined tray

Large pot

Large pot

Slotted spoon

Slotted spoon


Instructions
1
Napoli Sauce:
2
Saute garlic and onion: Heat oil in a small pot or large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook for 3 minutes until onion is softened.
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 cloves Garlic
    finely minced
  • 0.5 Onion
    very finely diced
3
Simmer sauce: Add remaining ingredients plus the stem of basil. Bring to a simmer, then reduce stove to low and cook, stirring every now and then, for 20 minutes. It should be fairly thick rather than a loose runny sauce.
  • 800 g Crushed Tomato
    or diced
  • 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 0.5 cup Water
  • 1 Basil Stem
    leaves kept for the Malfatti
  • 0.5 tsp White Sugar
  • 0.75 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Black Pepper
4
Malfatti:
5
Drain ricotta, if needed: The ricotta should be the dry and fairly crumbly type rather than wet, soft and almost spreadable. If it's wet, see Note 1 for removing excess water (wet ricotta makes Malfatti hard to shape and cook!)
6
Sweat spinach: Toss spinach with 1/2 tsp salt in large colander. Leave for 20 minutes. Roll up in tea towel and squeeze tightly to remove excess liquid. Roughly chop.
  • 300 g Baby Spinach
    ~6 tightly packed cups
  • 0.5 tsp Salt
7
Sauté garlic, eschalot and spinach: Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and eschalot, cook for 1 minute until translucent. Add spinach and cook until just wilted. Transfer to large bowl, allow to cool.
  • 1 large Eschallot
    finely chopped (or 1/2 red onion)
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 cloves Garlic
    finely minced
8
Malfatti mixture: Add ricotta and all remaining Malfatti ingredients into the bowl. Mix well to combine. It should be too wet to roll with hands without sticking, but still firm enough to shape into dumplings.
  • 500 g Ricotta
    must be dry type, not wet and spreadable
  • 0.25 cup Basil Leaves
    lightly packed, finely sliced (use stem for sauce)
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 Egg Yolk
  • 1 cup Parmesan
    finely grated
  • 0.5 cup Flour
    plain / all-purpose
  • 0.5 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Black Pepper
9
Form dumplings: Using 2 dessert spoons, scoop up about 1 1/2 tablespoons of mixture then shape into a football (quenelle) using the two spoons. Place on a paper-lined tray. You should get about 24-30.
10
Boil dumplings: Bring a large pot of water to the boil, then carefully put 6 dumplings in. Cook for 2 minutes, they should float to the surface. Remove with slotted spoon on to paper towel lined tray. Repeat for remaining Malfatti.
11
Baking:
12
Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
13
Assemble: Pour Napoli Sauce into a baking dish, then top with Malfatti. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
14
Bake 15 minutes or until the Malfatti has a faint blush of gold on the surface (Note 3).
15
Serve! Sprinkle baked Malfatti with parmesan and basil leaves (tear large leaves). Spoon into bowls and served as-is. No starchy side is required, think of these as like gnocchi. Just add a leafy green salad with Italian Dressing or Balsamic Dressing!
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan
    finely grated
  • Basil Leaves
    small (optional)

Nutrition

Provides moderate protein from ricotta and eggs, calcium from cheese, iron and vitamins from spinach, with moderate calorie and fat content.

calories 713 kcal
energy 2981 kJ
protein 40 g
total fat 42 g
saturated fat 21 g
trans fat 0 g
polyunsaturated fat 3 g
monounsaturated fat 13 g
cholesterol 180 mg
carbohydrate 46 g
sugars 16 g
dietary fibre 7 g
sodium 1213 mg
*per serving
VegetarianPescatarianHalalKosherNut FreePeanut FreeSesame FreeSoy FreeShellfish FreeSugar FreeHigh ProteinHigh FibreNutritious

This information is AI-estimated. For the most accurate details, please rely on product packaging. Always consult your doctor for professional dietary advice.