Jay Vaio's Malfatti
Sieve
Large mixing bowl
Large stockpot
Sheet pan
Parchment paper
1.
Set the ricotta in a sieve over a bowl and let it drain for six hours or overnight.
2.
In a large stockpot, bring ¼ cup of water to a simmer. Add 6 oz of spinach at a time, letting each batch wilt before adding more. Cook until the spinach has released all visible water. Remove from heat and let cool. In small batches, squeeze the spinach to remove any excess liquid, then finely chop.
3.
4.
Dust your work surface with flour. Working in batches, take a portion of the spinach mixture (slightly larger than a golf ball), roll it into a ball, then roll it into a ½-inch thick rope on the floured surface. Cut the rope into 1 ½-inch pieces and transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Make ahead tip: Malfatti can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days or frozen for up to six months.
5.
When ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the malfatti in batches and cook until they float to the surface, about 2–3 minutes. Drain.
6.
Serve the malfatti with tomato sauce and grated Parmesan.
Ingredients
- 16 oz whole milk ricotta
- 24 oz fresh spinach
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
- Flour for dusting
Cook's Notes
It’s said that malfatti originated with Italian immigrants who fled the destruction of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and settled in Napa. If you’re interested in the history, NPR.org has a great article titled “Malfatti, The Dumpling That Became A Napa Valley Legend” by Lisa Morehouse.
This recipe comes from Jeff’s Italian grandmother. Malfatti are spinach and ricotta dumplings similar to gnocchi, and interestingly, they’re sold at various liquor stores in Napa. For our wedding, we taste-tested malfatti from Val’s Liquors and Lawler’s Liquors.
They’re traditionally served with a tomato sauce of your choice, and you can use my amatriciana recipe if you’d like.