Ricotta gnudi with crisped sage

It is not pasta and Gnudi are not gnocchi, but seem to belong to the same family. They are simply skinless ravioli, the filling without the shell but not quite gnocchi. This is enough to whet my appetite and I am making them today for our supper!

You will need :

1 cup fresh ricotta
1 cup grated Parmesan,
1 egg
Pinch grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives (optional) or 1 tablespoon dried
4 cups semolina
3 tablespoons butter
10 sage leaves

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl
Mix until it is combined with the ricotta mixture, and roll into 1-inch balls.
Roll the ricotta mixture into balls and place in a bowl or dish that has 1/4 inch of the semolina sprinkled on the bottom.
Arrange the balls so that they are not touching each other or the sides.
When you have a layer, cover the balls completely with flour and begin another layer.
Finish by completely burying the ricotta balls and transfer to the fridge. Leave overnight.
In a skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Watch it carefully, and when the butter solids begin to brown and the butter is foamy (above), add the sage leaves. Just a few moments longer on the heat and the butter should turn a nutty brown color. Don’t overcook it to avoid introducing any bitter flavors.
Carefully transfer the gnudi to a pot of salted boiling water and cook until they float, about 1 minute.
They don’t need long at all, and the pasta coating can turn tough if they are in the water too long.
Remove them with a slotted spoon to drain, and serve with the brown butter and crisped sage leaves. Grate Parmesan over them, if desired.