Baked tomato gnudi
- Prepare
- overnight
- Cook
- 1 to 2 hours
- Serve
- Serves 2
Sophie Wyburd's fluffy, silky gnudi is a warming winter bake that gets a healthy boost from the kale and fresh tomato sauce. You can make the sauce at the same time as the gnudi, the day before serving, and this dish becomes very quick and easy to assemble.
Ingredients
For the gnudi
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- ½ onion, peeled and trimmed
- 25g/1oz butter
- ½ tsp sugar
- 8 basil leaves
- 100g/3½oz mozzarella, torn
- 15g/½oz Parmesan, grated (or similar vegetarian Italian hard cheese)
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- green salad or toasted ciabatta, to serve (optional)
Method
To make the gnudi, bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the kale to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
Drain the kale leaves and run under cold water. Place them in a clean tea towel and squeeze the moisture out of them. Chop the kale into small pieces.
Pour the semolina onto a small baking tray or plate.
Mix the ricotta, kale, egg yolk, Parmesan, breadcrumbs and nutmeg in a large bowl. Season with a little salt, then roll into 10 golf ball-sized balls.
Roll each ball in the semolina and chill on the tray in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or preferably overnight.
To make the sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the sliced garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes, the half onion and butter. Simmer gently for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Turn down to a simmer, then add the gnudi. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until they rise to the surface. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Season the tomato sauce with salt and pepper and add the sugar. Remove the onion and pulse a few times with a stick blender. Stir through the basil leaves.
Pour all but a few tablespoons of the tomato sauce into a baking dish. Nestle in the gnudi and spoon the rest of the tomato sauce on top. Tear over the mozzarella, grate over the Parmesan and bake for 25 minutes.
Serve with a green salad or toasted ciabatta if you like.
