Malfatti (Spinach & Ricotta Dumplings) with Brown Butter and Sage

Malfatti means 'badly made': they're essentially ravioli filling without the pasta. Well-drained spinach, fresh ricotta, Parmigiano, and nutmeg are bound with just enough egg and flour to hold together, rolled into soft dumplings, poached until they float, and finished in brown butter with sage. Light, pillowy, and ready in under an hour.

Tender spinach and ricotta dumplings, 'badly made' on purpose, bathed in nutty brown butter and crisp sage.

Why It Works

The whole game with malfatti is moisture. Draining the ricotta and wringing the spinach bone-dry means you need very little flour to bind the mix, and less flour is what keeps them light and creamy instead of gummy. The egg sets as they cook, holding them together, while Parmigiano adds both flavor and structure. Poaching at a gentle simmer instead of a rolling boil keeps the delicate dumplings from bouncing apart. Brown butter's toasty, nutty flavor and the crisp sage lean into the sweetness of the ricotta, and a splash of the cooking water emulsifies the butter into a light sauce that coats every dumpling.

Pairings

A crisp Lugana or Soave, or a light Valpolicella
Simple tomato passata as an alternative sauce
Fennel & Orange Salad to start

References

Recipe by Daniel Schossow, Schossow's Kitchen. Inspired by the malfatti dumpling recipe at Serious Eats.

RECIPE CARD

Malfatti (Spinach & Ricotta Dumplings) with Brown Butter and Sage

Yield: About 30 dumplings, 4 main or 6 first-course portions | Time: 50 minutes (plus 30 minutes draining the ricotta)

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Equipment

Fine-mesh strainer and cheesecloth or paper towels
Large skillet
Large wide pot for poaching
Slotted spoon or spider
Sheet tray lined with parchment and dusted with flour

Ingredients

Dumplings
450 g fresh whole-milk ricotta
500 g fresh spinach (or 280 g frozen chopped spinach, thawed)
15 g butter
1 small shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
60 g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated, plus more to serve
1 large egg + 1 yolk
Fresh nutmeg, a generous grating
Zest of ½ lemon
5 g kosher salt, plus more for the water
Black pepper
50–70 g all-purpose flour (or 00), plus more for rolling
Brown butter and sage
90 g unsalted butter
12–16 fresh sage leaves
Squeeze of lemon
Optional: toasted hazelnuts or pine nuts, chopped

Instructions

Drain

Set the ricotta in a strainer lined with cheesecloth or paper towels over a bowl and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or overnight. Wet ricotta is the main reason malfatti fall apart.
Melt the 15 g butter in a skillet over medium heat, cook the shallot and garlic 1 minute, then add the spinach and cook until wilted. Cool, then squeeze it completely dry in a towel. You should have about 250 g. Chop very finely.

Mix

In a bowl, stir together the ricotta, spinach, Parmigiano, egg and yolk, nutmeg, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
Add 50 g flour and fold just until combined. The mixture should be soft but hold its shape when scooped. If it slumps, fold in a little more flour, but no more than you need, or the dumplings turn dense.

Shape

Bring a wide pot of well-salted water to a gentle simmer.
With floured hands or two spoons, form heaping tablespoons into rough ovals or balls and roll them lightly in flour. Set them on the floured tray.
Test one dumpling first: poach it, and if it breaks apart, add another spoonful of flour to the mix.

Poach

Slide the malfatti into the simmering (not boiling) water in batches. They'll sink, then float after 2–3 minutes. Cook 1 minute more after they float, then lift out with a slotted spoon.

Brown butter and finish

While the first batch poaches, melt the 90 g butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sage and cook, swirling, until the butter is nutty and golden-brown and the leaves are crisp, 3–4 minutes.
Add the drained malfatti and gently baste them in the butter for a minute. Add a squeeze of lemon and a spoonful of the cooking water to make it glossy.
Serve with more Parmigiano, black pepper, and toasted nuts if you like.

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Schossow Kitchen · schossowkitchen.com