Wild garlic Malfatti

Posted by petra08 on March 1, 2018 · 36 Comments 

The other day I stumbled over something that looked like gnocchi. I have been thinking about making gnocchi for quite some time but somehow not got around to it. It turned out I was looking at somethign called Malfatti. An Italian dumpling with ricotta, spinach and Parmesan cheese. These dumplings seems to be served with a tomato sauce and I knew I had to make some.

 

In the last few days winter truly arrived, a storm, dubbed “The Beast from the East” swept in with icy winds and snow. Everyone kept an eye on the news that was full of weather warnings, stay at home, don’t get on any public transport, some even went out to panic buy food. Well, we woke up with the thinnest dusting and well, that was it in our corner of the land.

This did mean that the roads were clear and with the dogs in the back of the car we headed for the woods, always nicer when the winds are bitter cold. We came across a whole patch of beautiful snow drops, braving the cold.

 

 

They were so pentiful and nestled inbetween them was wild garlic! Wild garlic, also called ramps is a beautiful leaf that has an amazing flavor of garlic. The season is very short and this is a real treat. I love it in pesto but it can be used in anything where you use spinach.

 

I used a Malfatti recipe from Great Italian Chefs as a base but as I was looking in my cupboard for the pasta flour and semolina my eye caught a gluten free white bread flour. I thought I would use this and I replaced the semolina with medium coarse corn flour, it has a very similar texture to semolina. I have a friend who is gluten intolerant and I did the Malfatti with her in mind.

 

The Malfatti is easy to make you just need to drain the ricotta cheese the day before.

 

Wild Garlic Malfatti – Glutenfree

preparation time 24 hours + 20 minutes 

cooking time about 5 -7 minutes 

serves 3

Ingredients

• 250 gr or 8.8 oz Ricotta Cheese, drained
• 250 gr or 8.8 oz Wild Garlic, steamed just wilted, cooled and coarsly chopped
• 50 gr or 1.7 oz Glute free white breadflour
• 50 gr or 1.7 oz Corn flour, medium coarse
• 1 egg
• 70 gr or 2.5 oz grated Parmesan Cheese
• a pinch of salt and pepper

Place all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and bring them together. Don’t over work it, make sure it is just mixed.

 

 

Roll the mixture in to balls and place on top of some corn meal to make sure they won’t stick.

 

 

Keep the Malfatti in the fridge and bring them out when you are ready. Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil and simmer the Malfatti, it is ready when they rise to the surface.

 

I didn’t make the tomato sauce in the recipe from the Great Italian Chefs but did my own go to tomato sauce. I always make this when I need something quick and tasty. This is a great base for so many dishes.

 

Quick tomato sauce 

preparation time 5 minutes 

cooking time 12 minutes + blending 

serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes, use a good brand
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing Rice Wine
• 1 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1 tbsp hot sauce or a chopped chilli
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp sugar or honey
• salt to taste

Place all of the ingredients in the pan and bring to a boil. Let it cook for 5 minutes and add salt to taste.

After an additional 7 minutes place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

 

Keep the tomato sauce warm whilst simmering the Malfatti, they take 5-7 minutes and are done when coming up to the surface. I did some wild garlic oil to go with the dish.

 

 

The Malfatti looks the same uncooked and cooked but they change in texture, they firm up as they cook.

 

 

They were so easy to make. I can’t wait to make them again and start experimenting with flavours. The wild garlic was delicious and the slight chilli heat from the tomato sauce went so well with the ricotta and the parmesan cheese in the Malfatti. I love to dicover dishes I have never seen before!

 

I am bringing my new found Malfatti to Angie’s Fiesta Friday, no Friday is the same without it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed under Allotment/Veg, Cheese, Chilli, Foraging for food, Garlic, Home made produce, Hot Sauce, Main course, Onion, Parmesan, Recipe, Starter, Vegetarian, Wild Garlic, Wild garlic · Tagged with Glutenfree, Glutenfree Malfatti, Malfatti, Malfatti and tomato sauce, Quick Tomato Sauce, Wild Garlic Malfatti