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
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.
Login to Continue
Ingredients
Napoli Sauce:
finely minced
very finely diced
or diced
leaves kept for the Malfatti
Spinach For Malfatti:
~6 tightly packed cups
Malfatti:
finely minced
finely chopped (or 1/2 red onion)
must be dry type, not wet and spreadable
lightly packed, finely sliced (use stem for sauce)
finely grated
plain / all-purpose
Serving:
finely grated
small (optional)
Equipment
Small pot
Large colander
Tea towel
Dessert spoons
Paper-lined tray
Large pot
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 minced0.5 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 diced1 tbsp Tomato Paste 0.5 cup Water 1 Basil Stem leaves kept for the Malfatti0.5 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 cups0.5 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 spreadable0.25 cup Basil Leaves lightly packed, finely sliced (use stem for sauce)1 Egg 1 Egg Yolk 1 cup Parmesan finely grated0.5 cup Flour plain / all-purpose0.5 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 gratedBasil Leaves small (optional)
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:
finely minced
very finely diced
or diced
leaves kept for the Malfatti
Spinach For Malfatti:
~6 tightly packed cups
Malfatti:
finely minced
finely chopped (or 1/2 red onion)
must be dry type, not wet and spreadable
lightly packed, finely sliced (use stem for sauce)
finely grated
plain / all-purpose
Serving:
finely grated
small (optional)
Equipment
Small pot
Large colander
Tea towel
Dessert spoons
Paper-lined tray
Large pot
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 minced0.5 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 diced1 tbsp Tomato Paste 0.5 cup Water 1 Basil Stem leaves kept for the Malfatti0.5 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 cups0.5 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 spreadable0.25 cup Basil Leaves lightly packed, finely sliced (use stem for sauce)1 Egg 1 Egg Yolk 1 cup Parmesan finely grated0.5 cup Flour plain / all-purpose0.5 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 gratedBasil 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
This information is AI-estimated. For the most accurate details, please rely on product packaging. Always consult your doctor for professional dietary advice.
