Kale and Ricotta Malfatti

Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the kale, cooking until soft, about 2-3 minutes.

Drain the kale in a colander and run cold water over it to cool. Squeeze with your hands to expel as much liquid as possible. Transfer to a dry kitchen towel and squeeze any remaining moisture from the kale. Transfer to the work bowl of a food processor and pulse kale until finely chopped. Add the ricotta, butter, flour, nutmeg, egg, Parmesan, salt and pulse the mixture until it is just barely combined (try not to over mix).

Scrape the malfatti mixture onto a floured work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Sprinkle flour on your hands and gently roll each piece into ¾-inch thick rope like pieces. Roll them onto a lightly floured inverted sheet pan. Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil. Working in batches, gently roll the malfatti ropes into the simmering water and cook for 3 minutes. Using a mesh strainer remove and place into an ice bath to cool. When cool, cut them into 1-inch segments. To serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer and cook malfatti until they float, about 2-3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer dumplings to a pan with your favorite tomato sauce and gently stir to coat. Serve in a warm bowl.

Enjoy with a glass of Cakebread Cellars Annahala Ranch Pinot Noir.

*Bellwether Farms is a dairy in Petaluma, CA. Their cow’s milk ricotta can be found in some finer cheese counters. Substitute another high quality ricotta if unavailable.