Photography by Shawn LaChapelle
Chef Mark Delos’ Ricotta Gnudi with Crab, Lemon Mascarpone Cream, & Pangrattato
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
2 cups lump crab meat
For the Gnudi:
10 oz impastata ricotta
½ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 pinch grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Lemon Mascarpone Cream:
1 pint heavy cream
2 cups mascarpone cheese
1 cup white onions, julienned
3-4 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Olive oil, to sauté
Salt and white pepper, to taste
For the Pangrattato:
1 cup rustic ciabatta bread, broken up into pieces
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped parsley
Olive oil
Instructions
• Make the gnudi: In a large mixing bowl, add the ricotta and about half of the flour (reserve the remainder for later).
• Add Parmigiano cheese and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
• Mix together with a spoon until a smooth, soft dough is formed. Do not overmix. Let rest for 20–25 minutes.
• Make the lemon mascarpone cream: While the dough is resting, sauté garlic and onions in olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
• Add heavy cream, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Let simmer for one hour, stirring frequently.
• Shape the gnudi: After the dough has rested, lightly flour your hands and shape the dough into small balls about 1–1.5 inches in diameter. With this size, you should get about 14–16 gnudi.
• Arrange gnudi on a floured sheet pan, place in the refrigerator for about an hour to rest and firm up.
• Make the Pangrattato: Place the bread on a sheet pan, drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toast until golden brown.
• Remove the bread from the oven and place it in a food processor with the cheese. Pulse until it becomes a crumb consistency.
• Allow to cool, then add chopped parsley, salt and pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.
• Finish the lemon mascarpone cream: Once the cream has simmered for an hour, add mascarpone, lemon juice, and lemon zest and stir. Cook for an additional 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves and blend thoroughly.
• Cook the gnudi: Once the gnudi have rested for an hour, sprinkle them with additional flour until evenly coated. This step will prevent them from sticking together whenboiling.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Carefully drop the gnudi in the water a few at a time; do not overcrowd the pot.
• Cook for a few minutes until they rise to the surface. Once they float, remove them from the water.
• Put it all together: Place the gnudi in a 10-inch sauté pan on medium heat and drizzle a small amount of olive oil in the pan. Add crab meat and toast slightly, until the gnudi have a little color on them.
• Add the lemon mascarpone cream, and bring to a simmer for 2–3 minutes, but do not boil.
• With a spoon, gently transfer the sauce-coated gnudi to desired bowls or plates.
• Top with additional sauce, parmesan cheese, and pangrattato crumbs and serve.
