Traditional Italian Tuscan Ricotta and Spinach Gnudi with Brown Butter and Sage | Gnudi Toscani al Burro e Salvia
Updated: Sep 13
Gnudi Toscani al Burro e Salvia
Gnudi Toscani al Burro e Salvia (Traditional Italian Tuscan Ricotta and Spinach Gnudi with Brown Butter and Sage)
Gnudi Toscani are one of Tuscany’s most elegant examples of cucina povera: soft dumplings made essentially from the filling of ravioli without the pasta surrounding it.
The name gnudi means “naked” in Tuscan dialect. The idea is wonderfully straightforward: take the traditional ricotta-and-spinach filling used for ravioli or tortelli, remove its pasta covering, and cook the filling itself as a delicate dumpling.
Gnudi are particularly associated with Florence, Siena, and the Tuscan countryside, although variations exist throughout the region. Ricotta provides softness and richness, spinach or other leafy greens bring an earthy vegetal character, Parmigiano adds savoriness, and a very small quantity of flour gives just enough structure for the dumplings to survive cooking.
They are traditionally served simply, and one of the finest preparations is burro e salvia: butter gently cooked with fresh sage until aromatic and lightly nutty, then spooned over the warm gnudi with Parmigiano Reggiano.
The difficulty of gnudi lies precisely in their simplicity. Too much flour produces heavy dumplings. Too little structure causes them to disintegrate in the water. The objective is a gnudo that remains intact but becomes exceptionally tender when eaten.
Servings: 4–6Prep Time: 35 minutesResting Time: 1 hour minimumCook Time: 15 minutesTotal Time: About 1 hour 50 minutes
Ingredients
For the Gnudi
1 pound whole-milk ricotta
10 ounces fresh spinach
¾ cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
⅓ cup all-purpose flour, plus additional flour for shaping
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Brown Butter and Sage
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 fresh sage leaves
¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Freshly ground black pepper
For Finishing
Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
A few drops of extra-virgin olive oil, optional
Preparation
1. Drain the Ricotta
This is the first and perhaps most important step.
Place the ricotta in a fine-mesh strainer positioned over a bowl.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably several hours if the ricotta is particularly moist.
Good gnudi depend on controlling water.
Wet ricotta forces you to compensate with additional flour, and additional flour produces heavier gnudi.
The ricotta should remain creamy but should not release visible liquid when pressed gently.
2. Cook the Spinach
Wash the spinach thoroughly.
Place it in a large pan with only the water remaining on the leaves after washing.
Cover and cook over medium heat for approximately 2–3 minutes, just until completely wilted.
Transfer immediately to a colander.
Allow it to cool enough to handle.
3. Remove the Moisture
Squeeze the spinach extremely well with your hands.
Then wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze again.
You may be surprised by how much additional liquid comes out.
This step is critical.
Once dry, finely chop the spinach with a knife.
Do not purée it.
The finished gnudi should retain a natural texture.
4. Prepare the Gnudi Mixture
Place the drained ricotta in a large bowl.
Add the chopped spinach.
Add the Parmigiano Reggiano, egg, egg yolk, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper.
Mix gently until evenly combined.
Add approximately ¼ cup flour initially.
Fold it into the mixture.
The consistency should be soft and slightly sticky but firm enough to form into dumplings with lightly floured hands.
Add the remaining flour only if necessary.
The precise amount depends largely on the moisture content of the ricotta and spinach.
5. Test One Gnudo
Before shaping the entire batch, bring a small saucepan of salted water to a gentle simmer.
Form one small gnudo.
Lightly coat it in flour.
Lower it into the water.
Cook until it rises and remains intact.
If it begins disintegrating, add another tablespoon of flour to the mixture and test again.
This professional test is much better than automatically adding excessive flour from the beginning.
6. Shape the Gnudi
Lightly flour a sheet pan or large tray.
Using two spoons or lightly floured hands, portion the mixture into dumplings approximately 1½ inches in diameter.
Traditional gnudi can be round, oval, or slightly elongated.
Do not worry about absolute geometric perfection.
Roll each gnudo very lightly in flour.
Shake away the excess.
Place them on the prepared tray without allowing them to touch.
7. Rest the Gnudi
Refrigerate the shaped gnudi for approximately 30–60 minutes.
This short resting period helps the exterior stabilize and makes the dumplings easier to cook.
For an especially delicate result, they can also be prepared several hours ahead and kept refrigerated.
Cooking the Gnudi
8. Prepare the Water
Bring a wide pot of generously salted water to a boil.
Then reduce the heat.
The water should be at a gentle simmer, not an aggressive rolling boil.
This is extremely important.
Gnudi are considerably more delicate than ordinary pasta.
9. Cook in Batches
Lower the gnudi carefully into the water using a slotted spoon.
Do not overcrowd the pot.
Initially, they will sink.
As they cook, they will begin floating toward the surface.
Once they rise, continue cooking gently for approximately 1–2 minutes.
Remove them carefully with a slotted spoon.
Transfer directly to a warm plate or into the pan containing the butter and sage.
Do not drain gnudi aggressively in a colander.
Brown Butter and Sage
10. Melt the Butter
Place the butter in a wide sauté pan over medium-low heat.
Allow it to melt completely.
Add the sage leaves.
Continue cooking gently.
The butter will begin foaming as its water evaporates.
11. Develop the Hazelnut Aroma
Watch the butter carefully.
The milk solids will begin turning pale golden and then light hazelnut brown.
You should smell a warm, nutty aroma.
At that moment, reduce the heat immediately.
The difference between beautifully browned butter and burnt butter can be less than a minute.
The sage leaves should become aromatic and lightly crisp.
12. Add the Gnudi
Transfer the cooked gnudi directly into the brown butter.
Add 1–2 tablespoons of the gnudi cooking water.
Gently swirl the pan.
Do not aggressively toss the gnudi as though they were spaghetti.
They are delicate.
The cooking water and butter should form a light, glossy emulsion around them.
13. Finish with Parmigiano
Turn off the heat.
Add a small amount of finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Swirl the pan gently again.
The cheese should melt into the butter without creating a thick cheese sauce.
Taste and add freshly ground black pepper if desired.
The Correct Texture
A properly made gnudo should be delicate enough that it almost seems impossible for it to remain intact.
The exterior should hold its shape.
The center should remain soft, creamy, and predominantly ricotta, with spinach distributed throughout.
Gnudi should never have the dense, elastic texture of potato gnocchi.
They should certainly never resemble bread dumplings.
If you can taste flour as a dominant ingredient, too much has been added.
The flour exists primarily to provide structure.
Ricotta Is the Key
Because ricotta makes up such a large percentage of the mixture, its quality dramatically changes the result.
Choose a good-quality whole-milk ricotta with a clean dairy flavor.
Avoid excessively wet ricotta.
If possible, drain it overnight.
The drier the ricotta naturally becomes, the less flour you need.
And the less flour you use, the more delicate the gnudi become.
This is the central technical relationship in the recipe.
Spinach Must Be Dry
The same principle applies to spinach.
Cooked spinach contains an enormous quantity of water.
Simply draining it in a colander is not enough.
Squeeze it aggressively.
Then squeeze it again.
Excess spinach water produces loose gnudi and forces you to add more flour.
The goal is not to remove flavor.
It is to control moisture.
Chef Tips
Drain the ricotta thoroughly. This is the foundation of delicate gnudi.
Squeeze the spinach until extremely dry.
Add flour gradually. Never automatically use more than necessary.
Cook a test gnudo first. This tells you whether the mixture has enough structure.
Use freshly grated nutmeg sparingly. It should remain a background aroma.
Keep the water at a gentle simmer. Aggressive boiling can destroy the dumplings.
Cook in batches. Overcrowding lowers the water temperature and makes handling difficult.
Brown the butter carefully. Remove it from strong heat as soon as it develops a hazelnut aroma.
Handle the cooked gnudi gently. They should remain deliberately delicate.
Mistakes to Avoid
Do not use wet ricotta directly from the container.
Do not leave water in the cooked spinach.
Do not add large quantities of flour simply because the mixture feels soft.
Do not knead the mixture like pasta dough.
Do not make enormous gnudi.
Do not cook them in violently boiling water.
Do not dump them into a colander.
Do not fry the sage until it becomes black.
Do not burn the butter.
And do not cover the finished gnudi with an excessive amount of sauce.
The flavor should remain centered on ricotta, spinach, butter, sage, and Parmigiano.
Serving and Presentation
Serve 5–7 gnudi per person as a first course, depending on their size.
Use a warm, wide ceramic plate.
Spoon a small amount of the brown butter onto the base of the plate.
Arrange the gnudi naturally with enough space that each remains recognizable.
Spoon additional brown butter lightly over the top.
Place several crisp sage leaves naturally between the gnudi.
Finish with a fine snowfall of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and freshly ground black pepper.
The plate should remain elegant but unmistakably Tuscan.
Do not add tomato sauce.
Do not add unnecessary microgreens or vertical decorations.
The pale ricotta dumplings, golden butter, green sage, and Parmigiano already provide everything the presentation requires.
Wine Pairing
Vermentino di Gallura DOCG — saline freshness and citrus-driven acidity support seafood while keeping the palate clean.
Fiano di Avellino DOCG — structure and mineral acidity stand up to richer seafood preparations and aromatic sauces.
Etna Bianco DOC — volcanic minerality and firm acidity work especially well with briny, grilled or roasted seafood.
Chef Gianluca’s Recommendation
When making gnudi, remember one principle:
The less unnecessary flour you use, the better they become.
Do the difficult work before you begin mixing. Drain the ricotta properly. Cook the spinach and remove every possible drop of excess water. Only then determine how much flour the mixture actually requires.
And always cook one test gnudo.
If it holds together, stop adding flour.
The reward is a dumpling with enough structure to reach the plate but a center that remains extraordinarily soft and creamy.
Finish it simply with brown butter, fresh sage, and Parmigiano Reggiano.
That simplicity is exactly why Gnudi Toscani remain one of the most beautiful dishes in traditional Tuscan cooking.
Nutrition per Serving
Calories: approximately 520 kcal
Protein: 28 g
Carbohydrates: 48 g
Fat: 24 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Fiber: 4 g
Sugars: 6 g
Sodium: 680 mg
Cholesterol: 95 mg
Approximate nutrition per serving: 540 calories, 18 g protein, 72 g carbohydrates, 20 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 4 g fiber, 5 g sugars, 620 mg sodium, and 55 mg cholesterol. Values vary with the exact ingredients and portion size.
Story of the Dish
Gnudi Toscani al Burro e Salvia is built around the balance of its principal ingredients, correct temperature control, and disciplined seasoning. The preparation should preserve the identity of the main ingredient rather than bury it under unnecessary garnish or excess sauce. The method below follows professional Italian kitchen logic: organize the mise en place first, cook each component to its proper texture, and bring the elements together only when they are ready for service.
Recipe Information
Region: Italy
Difficulty: Intermediate
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour
Professional Technique
Control heat and moisture deliberately. Prepare all components before the final cooking stage, season progressively instead of all at once, and judge doneness by texture and appearance as well as by time. Keep the principal ingredient clearly identifiable and finish the dish only when every component is ready to be served together.
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi
Fresh acidity and savory structure keep the pairing balanced.
Vermentino di Gallura
Citrus, herbs, and salinity complement many Italian preparations.
Etna Bianco
Minerality and tension support complex flavors without heaviness.
Chianti Classico
Sangiovese acidity works well when the dish benefits from a red wine.
Storage and Reheating
Cool leftovers promptly, refrigerate in a covered container, and use within 2 days unless the preparation is seafood or contains a more perishable component. Reheat gently only as needed and avoid repeated temperature cycling.
Common Mistakes
Do not use wet ricotta, add excessive flour, boil violently, or crowd the pot. These errors make the gnudi dense or cause them to break.
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