Dining or having lunch with a dessert. In South Tyrol, it’s quite normal. And I couldn’t ask for anything better. I mean, it would almost be a shame to eat these sweet ricotta dumplings only as a dessert. Maybe one is already quite full when this delicacy arrives at the table, so they wouldn’t be fully enjoyed. No no, definitely better to eat them directly as a meal, to savor and relish them from the first to the last bite and to be able to eat double.
I accompanied them with a berry sauce, alternatively you can also accompany them with fresh berries, cherry Rote Grütze, or, in the absence of both, jam is also fine.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 8 dumplings
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 9 oz ricotta
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla sugar
- 2 pinches salt
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup semolina
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 1/2 tbsp butter (melted)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 5 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- to taste powdered sugar
- 14 oz berries (blueberries, currants, blackberries, raspberries)
- 1/4 cup sugar (to taste)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
Steps
To prepare the sweet ricotta dumplings, remove the excess water from the ricotta and place it in a bowl with sugar, vanilla sugar, salt, egg, semolina, breadcrumbs, and melted butter. Work with a whisk until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.After the resting time, bring plenty of water to a boil in a large pot and lightly salt it.
Wet an ice cream scoop in the boiling water (alternatively use two wet spoons to shape the dumplings), fill the scoop with the ricotta batter and drop the ball into the boiling water. Continue until all the batter is used up.
When all the dumplings are in the pot, put the lid on and bring it back to a boil. Then lower the heat to a minimum and let it simmer gently for about 10 minutes.Meanwhile, prepare the topping. Melt the 3 tbsp of butter in a pan, add the breadcrumbs, sugar, and cinnamon, and toast for a few minutes, stirring often to prevent burning.
To prepare the berry sauce, wash all the berries and place them in a saucepan with sugar and cornstarch. Mix, turn on the heat, and bring to a boil, stirring, until it has slightly thickened. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Remove the dumplings from the water with a slotted spoon, and place 2-3 at a time in the pan with the breadcrumb topping. Roll them gently so it adheres on all sides and transfer to a tray.
Serve your sweet ricotta dumplings accompanied by the warm berry sauce and, for those who like it, a dusting of powdered sugar.
Tips
– If you like poppy seeds, you can add 1-2 tablespoons to the breadcrumb topping while toasting it in the pan.
– If the batter falls apart when you drop it in water, add 1-2 teaspoons of breadcrumbs to the batter, mix, and then proceed with forming other dumplings.
