This is a recipe that I have wanted to write on my blog for a long time because years ago, when I worked in Ivrea and had many Tuscan colleagues, I tasted and really enjoyed them, but now that I eat plant-based, I had to make some modifications, and so here I present my vegan gnudi.
This is a traditional dish of Tuscan cuisine: they are essentially ravioli without the pasta, as gnudi means naked in dialect, that is, just the filling. Typically, they are made with spinach and ricotta, but in this vegan version, I used tofu. They can be seasoned in various ways, the typical way being with butter and sage, which is how I enjoyed them. But they are also excellent with tomato sauce.
It is a very simple and tasty dish, obviously light, to prepare in just a few steps!
Some other first courses that might interest you can be found here:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very affordable
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Stove
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz spinach (fresh or frozen)
- 1.1 lbs tofu (firm, not silken)
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (1 measuring teaspoon)
- to taste garlic powder
- to taste dried onion
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- to taste nutmeg
- 0.5 cup nutritional yeast
- 0.25 cup semolina flour (use only half)
- to taste salt
- 0.7 oz vegan butter (alternatively 25ml of extra virgin olive oil)
- 3 sprigs sage
- Total points for 14 gnudi = 23 WW points
- Total points for 2 gnudi = 3 WW points
- Total points for 4 gnudi = 7 WW points
- Total points for 14 gnudi with sauce = 30 WW points
- Total points for 4 gnudi with sauce = 8 WW points
Tools
- Pot
- Wooden spoon
- Colander
- Pan
- Bowl
- Hand blender
- Deep plate
- Tray
- Ice cream scoop
- Slotted spoon
Steps
I didn’t take photos of the spinach preparation, but I’ll explain my method without cooking: put them in a pot with a little salt, boil some water and pour it over the spinach. Stir quickly and as soon as they are all wilted, drain them, rinse with cold water, and squeeze them very well.
No need to press the tofu as we will dry it in the pan. Heat a teaspoon of oil and crumble the tofu by hand into the pan with a bit of garlic and onion powder to flavor. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often: the tofu should just dry out and not turn golden. Turn off and let cool.
Place tofu, spinach, cornstarch, nutritional yeast, nutmeg, and some salt in a large bowl.
With a hand blender, or if you prefer, you can use a blender, blend everything very well to obtain a homogeneous mixture.
Prepare a deep plate with the semolina and a baking sheet or tray to place the gnudi once ready.
With a large ice cream scoop (50 mm diameter), scoop the mixture and roll it between the palms of your hands just like making a meatball.
Place the ball of mixture in the semolina and thoroughly coat it.
Put the first gnudo on the tray and continue until the mixture is finished.
Here are our vegan gnudi ready to be cooked or stored!
Boil water with a bit of salt in a large pot. Add the gnudi a few at a time; for 14 gnudi, I recommend cooking them in 2 batches.
After about 4 minutes, you will see them rise to the surface: remove them with a slotted spoon.
Place them in a colander and let them lose some cooking water.
At this point, all you have to do is melt the vegan butter in the pan, or if you prefer, the oil, and sauté the sage leaves. When they are crispy, remove them from the pan, or they will lose their crunch, and add the gnudi. Gently stir to season them all and serve on the serving plate.
Add the sage leaves, and our vegan gnudi with butter and sage are ready to be served!
I’ve made them several times, as they received full approval from the Dutchman here at home. He only complains about the amount of butter being too little, but more would make this first course too fatty and therefore not suitable for a diet. But perhaps on festive days, you can add a little more seasoning!
I really enjoyed them; they are so tasty even though made with tofu: and to think that years ago I detested it. Well, enough chit-chat, let me know if you liked them, and in the meantime:
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
Storage
You can prepare the vegan gnudi the day before, place them on a tray or baking sheet, and keep them covered with a cloth not treated with scented detergents.
I haven’t tried it, but I’m sure you can also freeze them, always on a tray, and once frozen, you can put them in a freezer bag. You can cook them in boiling water without thawing first; it will take a few more minutes of cooking.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What is nutritional yeast?
In this recipe, you will find nutritional yeast, which is an inactive yeast rich in vitamin B12. It is widely used in vegan cooking as it imparts a cheesy flavor to dishes. To learn more, read here: Nutritional Yeast: what it is, how to use it, and why! You can omit it, but in that case, add some spices of your choice to give more flavor to the final dish.
I’m gluten intolerant, how can I adapt this recipe?
Of course you can: make sure the cornstarch is gluten-free and use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
