• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Marie Food Tips
  • Recipe index
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Marie Food Tips
  • Recipe index
  • About Marie Food Tips
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Marie Food Tips
    • Recipe index
    • About Marie Food Tips
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
  • ×
    Accueil » Countries » Italia

    Italian Malfatti (spinach ricotta dumplings)

    Publié le : Mar 18, 2023 · Modifié le : Nov 3, 2023 par Marie · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.

    Like Gnudi, Malfatti are a type of gnocchi made with spinach, ricotta and Parmesan cheese. These delicious, flavorful little dumplings are typical of Tuscan and Lombard cuisine. They are very easy to make and melt in the mouth.

    Table des matières
    • ❓What's Malfatti?
    • 💙 Why you'll love them
    • 🧀 Ingredients
    • 🥰 Chef's tips
    • 💡 Frequently Asked Questions
    • ❄️Storage / freezing
    • 📖 Recette

    ❓What's Malfatti?

    Unlike gnocchi, which are made with potatoes (or Roman semolina gnocchi), Malfatti are made with spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, a little flour and egg. They are a classic of Italy's poor, lean cuisine.

    In Italian, malfatti means"badly made", as they have a rather irregular shape. They are almost round, but not perfectly so.

    💙 Why you'll love them

    • They're very easy to make: just cook the spinach, chop it up, mix it with the other ingredients, roll into balls and cook in boiling water.
    • They require only a handful of ingredients, and are easy to find and use!
    • They can be kept for several days and are perfect for batch cooking.

    🧀 Ingredients

    These are the main ingredients, and the quantities can be found in the recipe card below.

    • Spinach: fresh spinach is best.
    • Ricotta cheese.
    • Flour: all-purpose flour
    • Egg - ideally pasture-raised organic. You can refer to the Eco Tips I've written on eggs to help you choose the right ones.
    • Parmesan: prefer fresh, block Parmesan. Of course, it takes some effort to grate it yourself, but it's so much better!
    • Garlic - if you want to choose your garlic carefully so you do not encourage the slavery of Chinese prisoners, read my Eco Tips on the subject.

    🥰 Chef's tips

    1. When pan-frying, it's very important to let ALL the water evaporate from the spinach. Otherwise your dough will be too runny and you'll need much more flour and Parmesan.
    2. Once they've finished cooking in water, don't hesitate to pan-fry them for a few minutes with a large knob of butter to crisp them up slightly.

    💡 Frequently Asked Questions

    What to serve these Malfatti with?

    I like to pair them with a tomato sauce and a little freshly grated Parmesan cheese as a topping. You can also accompany them with a sage butter (in this recipe), which is the traditional accompaniment.

    ❄️Storage / freezing

    Once cooked, you can store them for 2 days in an airtight container (tupperware-style) in the fridge.

    And if you want to freeze them: once cold, place them in a freezer bag on which you've written the date and recipe beforehand. Put them in the freezer and you'll be able to keep them for a few months.

    To defrost them, I recommend putting them in the oven for a few minutes (they can give off a lot of water in the microwave).

    If you make these Malfatti, it would be so nice to leave me a comment and rate the recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. You can also tag me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or Tik Tok, or even send me a photo, I love seeing my little dishes in your homes!

    📖 Recette

    Pas encore de vote

    Italian Malfatti (spinach ricotta dumplings)

    A kind of gnocchi made with spinach, ricotta and Parmesan, Malfatti are delicious little dumplings that melt in your mouth and are full of flavor.
    Servings 2 servings
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 50 minutes mins

    Ingredients

    • 21 oz fresh spinach
    • 4 oz ricotta cheese
    • ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 egg
    • ½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
    • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
    • salt to taste
    • black pepper to taste
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    • Wash the spinach and cut off the tough stems. Fry until reduced in size and water content.
    • Leave to cool, then grate the Parmesan cheese. Chop the spinach with scissors, then add the ricotta, flour, egg and Parmesan.
    • Mix, then generously flour your hands and work surface. Take some of the mixture, place it on the floured work surface and roll it into a small ball. Repeat until you've used up all the ingredients.
    • Plunge into a pan of boiling water. Once the balls rise, allow about 1-2 minutes.
    • Optional: I like to fry them in a knob of butter in a frying pan after boiling, so that they are slightly crispy. But you can stop at the previous step, depending on your tastes.
    Author: Marie Compain
    Course: Gnocchi, Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: delicious, melt-in-mouth, tender
    Régime: Vegetarian

    More Italia

    • Carbonara zucchini noodles on a plate with an egg yolk and several basil leaves.
      Carbonara zucchini noodles
    • Cacio E Pepe with a few basil leaves.
      Authentic Cacio E Pepe pasta
    • Deep fried burrata in a beige bowl with pistachio Pesto gnocchi and fresh basil leaves.
      Deep fried burrata (with creamy Pesto gnocchi)
    • Confit cherry tomato pesto orzo with pieces of straciatella and fresh basil leaves.
      Orzo with confit cherry tomatoes, straciatella & lime

    About Marie

    Marie Compain est la fondatrice, créatrice de recettes et photographe culinaire de Marie Food Tips. Depuis 2021, Marie partage ses recettes faciles et familiales, toujours gourmandes et bourrées de saveurs, pour la vie quotidienne ou les occasions plus spéciales.

    Reader Interactions

    Répondre Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Marie!

    Welcome on Marie Food Tips, where we're all about flavor, good vibes, and zero stress. I whip up seasonal tasty dishes and indulgent desserts for everyday life and sometimes for special occasions. It's all about savoring the moment without any hassle!

    More about me →

    My favorite recipes

    • Katsudon (breaded chicken fillets with a soy sauce omelet and rice) in a bowl, with fresh cilantro and chopsticks.
      Chicken Katsudon (Japanese chicken cutlet rice bowl)
    • Classic Chouquettes (French sugar puffs)
    • Slice of chocolate fondant, gooey and fudgy.
      Perfect French chocolate fondant (easy recipe)

    The last gems

    • Soft, homemade French layered chocolate and vanilla sponge cake on a wooden board.
      French layered vanilla and chocolate sponge cake
    • Leek tarte tatin on a plate with burrata stuffed with pistachio pesto and Parma ham.
      French leek tart tatin
    • Several chocolate M&Ms shortbread biscuits on a gray work surface.
      M&Ms shortbread biscuits
    • Three slices of brownie stacked on top of each other.
      Best healthy avocado brownie

    The last Eco Tips

    • Garlic, human rights and hygiene
    • The cocoa drama

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • General Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Statement

    Contact

    • Contact

    This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

    Copyright © 2022 - 2024 Marie Food Tips

    • Français (French)
    • English

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required