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Tuscany's famous gnudi are named so because they're a little like 'naked' ravioli – all the delicious filling without the pasta wrapper. Here, the ricotta and charddumplings are served with sautéed chard stalks and girolle mushrooms, bathed in a rich buttery sauce.
Strip the chard leaves from the stalks and wash thoroughly. Wilt the chard leaves in the boiling water for 1-2 minutes then refresh in cold water. Trim the ends of the stalks and cook separately but in the same water for 2-3 minutes retaining a slight bite, then refresh in cold water
Strain the leaves and give them a really good squeeze to remove all the water from them. Finely chop the leaves and cut the stalks into 5cm batons. Set aside
4
Beat the ricotta until smooth and fold in the chard. Add the beaten eggs, Parmesan, pecorino, nutmeg, a pinch of salt and pepper then fold in the 00 flour. Shape into 30g balls and place on a tray dusted with the semolina
Roll the balls around in the semolina ensuring each ball is evenly coated. Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, before cooking
6
Clean the girolles by brushing off any dirt and removing any bits of forest
Bring another pan of salted water to the boil, drop in the gnudi and simmer gently until they float to the surface. This should take 3-4 minutes
8
While the gnudi cook, heat up the olive oil in a wide pan. Fry the girolles and chard stalks for a few minutes over a high heat until nicely coloured. You want roughly an equal amount of girolles and stalks, so you may not need to use all the chard stalks
1 tbsp of olive oil
9
Turn down the heat, add the butter and a splash of the gnudi cooking water. Stir until the butter has emulsified and begins to thicken, then add a dash of lemon juice and a crack of black pepper
Carefully remove the gnudi from the water using a slotted spoon, drain well and add to the sauce. Gently swirl the pan to combine everything and allow the sauce to thicken, coating the gnudi nicely. Add a splash more of the cooking water if it becomes too thick, or an extra knob of butter if a bit thin. Serve and finish with freshly grated Parmesan
The rustic, seasonal Italian dishes executive chef Matt Beardmore cooks in the kitchen of Legare in London are punchy, packed with flavour and a testament to just how incredible Italy’s regional cuisine can be.