Baked Ricotta-Spinach Dumplings (Gnudi) in Tomato Sauce

Gnudi are dumplings similar to gnocchi, but instead of potatoes, they are made with ricotta or cottage cheese. In this recipe, they are combined with tomato sauce, sprinkled with cheese, and baked in the oven. Spinach can be omitted or added to only half of the mixture, leaving the other half for picky eaters.

Details

  • Preparation Time: 15 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 35 minutes
  • Difficulty: 1
  • Spiciness: 0
  • Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients

Dumplings

  • 500 g Cheese, cottage cheese

  • 100 g Spinach, raw

  • 100 g Semolina

  • pieces Wheat flour, white, multi-purpose

  • 1 piece Egg, fresh

  • 60 g Cheese, Parmesan, grated

  • 0.5 teaspoons Salt, table

  • 1 pinch Spices, nutmeg, ground

  • 100 g Cheese, Gouda

  • 40 g Cheese, Parmesan, grated

Sauce

  • pieces Oil, olive

  • 1 piece Onion, raw

  • 1 pod Garlic, fresh

  • 500 g Tomato sauce, without salt

  • 1 spoon Tomato, concentrate

  • 1 pinch Spices, oregano, dried

  • pieces Salt, table

Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Place the cottage cheese in a deep plate lined with a few paper towels. These will absorb excess liquid.

  2. Peel the onion and garlic, then finely chop them separately. Crush the tomatoes roughly or mash them by hand.

  3. Pour olive oil into a pot and sauté the onion until golden brown. Add the garlic and after a minute, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, and salt. Mix well and cook for 15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly.

  4. Bring water to a boil in a pot. Add the spinach and reduce the heat. After two minutes, when the spinach wilts and softens, drain it, rinse under cold water, squeeze well, and chop.

  5. Mix the cottage cheese with breadcrumbs, egg, 60 grams of Parmesan, salt, and nutmeg. If the mixture is too wet, add a little flour.

  6. Shape half of the mixture into small balls, weighing about 30 grams each. Place them on a damp board or plate.

  7. Mix the spinach into the other half of the mixture and shape into similarly sized balls.

  8. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the dumplings and cook for 6 minutes, then drain them.

  9. Pour the tomato sauce into a baking dish, approximately 30 x 20 centimeters in size. Arrange the cooked gnudi or dumplings over the sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until the cheese melts and browns.

  10. Serve the prepared dish on plates. Optionally, serve with a bowl of salad on the side.

Nutrition Information (Per 100g)

  • Calories: 123.33 kcal
  • Fat: 4.33 g
    • Saturated Fat: 2.17 g
  • Carbohydrates: 9.34 g
    • Sugars: 2.97 g
  • Protein: 8.85 g
  • Fiber: 0.74 g