“I want to win a week in a Tuscany villa!” So I created this fresh and summery take on a Ravioli Nudi or ‘Gnudi’ as they would call it which comes from the tuscan dialect gnudo.

Naked Ravioli Tuscan Style

This dish makes for a flavoursome supper, you can choose to have it vegetarian or add some chopped cooked pancetta on the top, this would add some extra saltiness to cut through the soft cheese. These little dumpling textured balls have such a gooey creamy inside and the vibrant sweet tang of fresh tomato sauce really compliments them. Its best eaten as soon as its cooked and served with a fresh seasonal green salad!

Recipe (creates approx 20 gnudi)

1kg fresh spinach

250g ricotta cheese

2 eggs

6 tablespoons Parmesan (2 for sprinkling)

5 tbsp flour (keep extra aside for coating)

Salt and Pepper

Tomato Sauce:

2 Large Tomatoes

A handful of cherry tomatoes

2 garlic cloves

A pinch of Chilli powder

2 tbsp Basil Olive Oil ( or fresh basil leaves and olive oil)

Method

Clean and wash the spinach. Cook for 5 minutes in a saucepan with boiling, salted water.

When cold, squeeze out the excess water and chop finely.

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4. Whiz up all the Tomato Sauce ingredients (minus the cherry tomatoes) in a processor pour into a saucepan, halve the cherry tomatoes and add to the pan. Add a little water. Gently heat for 15 minutes.

In a large bowl place the ricotta, egg, grated parmesan, flour and the spinach. Mix all ingredeints gently, fold well. Form the mixture into meatball sized round balls, or smaller if you wish and give them a coat of flour.

Prepare a pot of salted water and bring to boil, at this point lightly drop the gnudi into your pot. They are cooked when they rise to the surface. Remove with a strainer and place into an over proof dish.

Once the sauce is cooked well pour over the cooked gnudi, sprinkle the remaining parmesan over and place in the oven Gas Mark 4 for 15-20 minutes or until the parmesan has gone golden brown and crisped up a little.

Serve on a place with salad and a drizzle of basil olive oil!