Gnudi en Brodo

I’ve been meaning for some time now to make an inspired Italian broth, known as brodo, using wild mushrooms in place of meat. Last week, I lugged over 20 pounds of Chicken of the Woods mushrooms out of, well, the woods; so the time felt right to take on the challenge. Besides, it’s soup season! For the making of this brodo, I used the trim of the mushrooms, meaning the less-than-prime odds and ends that are too woody and tough to eat. This brodo recipe will work for whatever mushrooms you have, be they store bought or foraged.

Paired with this special brodo are dumplings called gnudi (pronounced “new-dee”). Literally meaning “nude,” they are essentially ravioli filling, without the ravioli. Hence, their nakedness. I followed the gnudi recipe found in the Pasta Grannies cookbook which features the classic pairing of ricotta and spinach, but made a few modifications. I used my own homemade ricotta in place of store bought, and I upped the ratio of ricotta to spinach, because that’s how I like it. Well, that’s not really true. In truth, I didn’t buy enough spinach that the recipe called for, but viola! My recipe is written to accommodate that change.

Gnudi hail from Tuscany and are popularly served during Christmas time. It makes a lot of sense once you experience this dumpling luxury for yourself. Don’t be deceived by their tiny walnut size—these puppies pack a punch! Equally rich and filling, you’ll be ready to kick your feet up by the fire after eating just a few of them. Speaking of holiday comfort food, these gnudi en brodo really remind me of a hearty, umami matzo ball soup, except the matzo balls are made of cheese!

Gnudi are sometimes paired with red sauce or brown butter and sage. I’m really happy that I went with my mushroom brodo, however. The broth is super duper meaty, thanks to those Chicken of the Woods, which really do taste like chicken, by the way. Plus, the inclusion of parmesan cheese rind adds additional umami, not to mention fat. I’m already picturing myself making this dish many more times before the fall and winter is up!

Some things to note: the gnudi really want to hang out and firm up in the fridge for at least an hour before you boil them. That way, they’ll develop a skin and, ultimately, a better texture. Speaking of texture, feel free to sear them in a pan with butter once they’re finished boiling. Or not. It’s nice when you can’t go wrong.

For the gnudi (serves 4-6):

425g ricotta, drained weight
453g (1 lb) spinach, steamed and squeezed
25g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
1 large egg, beaten
A few shavings of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
All-purpose flour or semolina flour, for coating
1 tablespoon unsalted butter or koji butter, for searing (optional)

For the Chicken of the Woods broth (yields 1 1/2 pints):

1kg Chicken of The Woods mushroom trim, roasted
150g white onion, chopped
160g celery stalk, chopped
100g carrot, peeled and chopped
6 stems of thyme
7 stalks of parsley
1 bay leaf
8g rind of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
3L filtered water

To make the broth: Preheat the oven to 375F. Toss the mushroom trim in some salt and olive oil. Roast the mushrooms on a baking sheet in the oven for 25 minutes. Combine the mushroom trim, carrots, onion, celery, herbs, cheese rind, and water in a large stock pot set to a medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium once the broth reaches a simmer. Continue to gently simmer the broth until reduced, for 1 and 1/2 hours. Strain well and set aside.

To make the gnudi: Add spinach to a large saute pan set over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of boiling water to the pan and cover with a lid. Allow the spinach to cook and wilt, stirring occasionally, until completely collapsed, about 1 minute. Transfer the spinach to a colander to drain until cool enough to handle. Then, ball up and squeeze out as much water as you possibly can. Just like gnocchi, the gnudi have trouble holding shape should the ricotta or spinach be waterlogged. Once fully squeezed of its water, rough chop the spinach. You should be left with 125g of spinach after cooking and pressing. If you’re coming up short, simply add more ricotta to make up the difference in weight, so that you have a total weight of 550g ricotta and spinach.

Combine the ricotta, cooked spinach, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, egg, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The mixture should be tacky.

Lightly dust a baking tray, preferably one that will fit in your fridge, with all-purpose flour. Fill a small bowl with all-purpose flour. Weigh out 20g of spinach-ricotta mixture and proceed to roll it into a sphere using the palms of your hands. Lightly dredge the sphere all around and place it on the flour-dusted tray. Continue with the remaining filling. 

Place the gnudi in the fridge to firm up for at least an hour, for up to 24 hours. In time the dumplings develop a skin, providing a more toothsome texture. You can skip the firming step if you must, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

To cook the gnudi: Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a simmer. Meanwhile, begin heating some of the broth, seasoning it with salt to taste.

Working in batches, drop gnudi into the pot of salted water and let boil until they float to the surface and bob there, 1-2 minutes. Let the dumplings drain completely and set aside.

To sear the gnudi (optional) Melt the butter in a sauté pan over high heat. Add the cooked gnudi to the pan and toss to coat. Sear until the gnudi start to turn golden brown, about 1-2 minutes.

To serve, divide the gnudis amongst the serving bowls. Ladle the hot brodo over the dumplings and garnish with freshly shaved Parmigiano Reggiano. Serve hot.