Gnudi and Steak with Mushroom sauce.

So we were watching "The best thing I ever Made" on the Food Network channel the other night and they were talking about using Ricotta.  They made 2 dishes. One being sweet delicious Cannoli, and the other Gnudi.  I had never heard of gnudi.  Gnudi are like the filling for a ravioli but with out the pasta.  Kind of like a gnocchi.  Boiled and the pan fried in brown butter kind of like pirogies.  Pan frying them makes the outside crust and the inside soft and gooey. 

I didn't make up the recipe, I did some searching and found something similar to what I saw on the show. Except I didn't have semolina flour and I didn't realize that they needed to sit in the fridge overnight so mine only sat for 2 hours.  Oh and I forgot to explain the part about how I don't like Ricotta so I use Farmers cheese.  If you don't know what Farmers cheese is, its Ricottas salty cousin.  Similar in texture but not sweet like Ricotta.  I don't like sweet things for dinner so Ricotta is fine for Cannoli's but not for Gnudi.

Usually found near the cream cheese. Comes in unsalted and regular.  The unsalted doesn't taste like anything.  You can get either one, just don't add salt if you get the regular one.  It comes wrapped in paper inside the wrapper.  

This is what it looks like when it comes out of the package.  

Add the eggs, parmesan, ground sage, nutmeg, pepper.   In the end I really like the texture of the parmesan I used and would recommend using the same, cut like little sticks or long pieces, don't use the powdered stuff.

I also added some chopped baby spinach and mixed it all up.

Rolled them in to balls like the recipe said on flour.

And then more flour on top.  This is when they go in to the fridge.

In the mean time we nibbled on some stinky cheese.  I ended up adding a little to the sauce for extra flavor and richness. 

Getting things ready.

I let them come to room temperature and then separated them from the flour.

I had some thin chuck steaks in the fridge left over form something else I made.  

Pan fried it to get a good base for my sauce.  these steaks were very thin so I didn't cook then for very long.  Use which ever kind of stark you have on hand.  Put aside and reserve drippings.

Add mushrooms and garlic.

Add a some butter and a little flour and let it cook down.

Add chicken broth and drippings from the steaks.

when its reduced by half put the steaks back in to keep them warm.

I just realized I didn't get a picture of what to do with the Gnudi!!!  The most important part!!!!  I think I had too much going on and got focused on not messing up.  Well they get boiled for about 1-2 minutes, or until they all come up.  Strain then with a big slotted spoon, don't dump them out on top of each other.  I've had big problems with that with making Gnocchi and its not fun when all your hard work ends up a giant congealed mess!!!  so after you drain them brown some butter and sauté them for a few minutes to crisp up the outside, I did mine in 2 batches to not crowed the pan.

Defiantly one of "The best things I ever made".

So this is the recipe that I used.  I altered it a little to fit my needs and supplies on hand.  

http://www.thepauperedchef.com/2010/04/homemade-gnudi-from-the-spotted-pig.html

This is their ingredient list

• 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for finishing the pasta
• 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives (optional)
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 4 cups semolina flour
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10-12 sage leaves

Here's what I actually used

2 packages Farmers cheese

1 Cup Shredded Parmesan cheese (trust me on this one, go with the shredded)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground sage 

1 cup chopped spinach

1/2 cup all purpose flour

4 more cups of flour

3-4 tablespoons butter

Then there was the steak

2 thin cut chuck steaks

salt and pepper

Evoo

1 cup of mushrooms

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup chicken broth

2 serving sized pieces of Morbier cheese

Sometimes when I make things like this for the first time things go crazy and something doesn't come out right.  Well I would have to say this came out great!!  I didn't say it was easy but it did come out great!!!