Malfatti with an aromatic tomato sauce

Recipe

Malfatti with an aromatic tomato sauce

Recipe developed for Hearty by Pharma Dynamics

Malfatti are rustic, handmade Italian ricotta dumplings. The word translates to ‘poorly made’ so don’t be alarmed if the shapes don’t look absolutely perfect. The delicate dumplings on this rich tomato sauce is so mouth-watering, you will want a second serving of this vegetarian dish.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Aromatic tomato sauce

15 ml (1 tbsp) olive or avocado oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1 medium red pepper, seeded and diced

200 g cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

1 small red chilli, whole (optional)

1 x 410 g tin chopped tomatoes

1 x 50 g (50 ml) sachet tomato paste

15 ml (1 tbsp) balsamic vinegar

30-45 ml (2-3 tbsp) chopped fresh herbs of your choice, like basil or Italian parsley

Malfatti (makes about 24-30)

400 g baby spinach

10 ml (2 tsp) olive or avocado oil

2-3 spring onions, finely chopped

125 ml (½ cup) parmesan or pecorino cheese, grated

250 g chunky ricotta, drained and coarsely crumbled

80 ml (⅓ cup) cake flour

1 large egg, beaten

2,5 ml (½ tsp) ground nutmeg or more to taste

finely grated rind of 1 lemon

black pepper to taste

To serve

80 ml (⅓ cup) flaked almonds or chopped cashews, toasted

more fresh basil or Italian parsley to serve

Method

1. Tomato sauce: Heat a large frying pan over a medium temperature. Add the oil and sauté the onion, garlic and pepper until aromatic. Stir in cherry tomatoes and chilli, if using, and sauté for a few minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer without a lid for 15-20 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Stir from time to time.
2. Malfatti: Meanwhile, place the spinach in a large glass bowl and just cover with boiling water. Stir through and drain immediately. Rinse in ice cold water to stop the cooking process.
3. Drain the spinach well and squeeze any excess water out. Chop spinach.
4. Heat a large frying pan over a medium temperature. Add the oil and sauté the spring onions until slightly softened.
5. Add the cooked spinach to the spring onions and sauté for a few minutes, to make sure that any excess water evaporates. Do not overcook the spinach – it should still be bright green in colour. Allow to cool slightly.
6. Remove from the heat and spoon into a large mixing bowl. Keep a few tablespoonfuls of parmesan or pecorino cheese aside for serving. Add the rest of the cheese with remaining malfatti ingredients to the bowl and mix well.
7. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, no salt is needed.
8. Using two tablespoons, shape the spinach mixture into oval shapes, and then gently press each shape together in the palm of your hand. Place on a lined baking tray or plate. These don’t need to be perfectly shaped. You should make about 24-30 malfatti. Don’t make them too big.
9. Spoon 6-8 malfatti at a time into the rapidly boiling water. Allow to cook for 2 minutes, until they float to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain the excess water and place on paper towel. Spoon in a single layer into a shallow dish and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining malfatti.
10. Divide the sauce between four bowls and top with 5-6 malfatti. Sprinkle with reserved cheese and garnish with toasted nuts and herbs. Alternatively, place the malfatti in the frying pan with the sauce to reheat.

Photo by Adel Ferreira.