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Malfatti are soft ricotta and spinach dumplings from Tuscany, boiled briefly and finished in browned sage butter. The name means “badly made,” a joke about their rough, hand-rolled shape next to tidy gnocchi.
The texture, not the flour, defines the dish. You want just enough to bind the ricotta and squeezed spinach so the dumplings hold their shape in the water but still feel soft on the fork.
Here’s the judgment call that trips people up: if the ricotta or spinach still holds water, the malfatti will break apart the second they hit the pot. Drain the ricotta overnight and squeeze the spinach dry in a towel until no more water comes out.
I serve these as a primo on their own, a small plate before the main course, with extra parmesan and a crack of black pepper.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Uses ricotta and spinach you likely already have on hand
- No pasta machine or rolling pin needed to shape them
- Lighter than potato gnocchi but just as filling
- Sage butter comes together in the same 3 minutes they drain
Ingredient Notes
- Ricotta: Use whole milk ricotta and drain it in a sieve overnight or at least 2 hours. Wet ricotta is the main reason malfatti fall apart in the water.
- Spinach: Fresh spinach wilted and squeezed dry works best. Frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed hard in a towel, is a fine substitute and saves a step.
- Parmesan: Use finely grated parmesan for the dough itself so it melts into the mix, and coarser shavings for serving on top.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is standard here. Add it gradually, you may need less or a bit more depending on how dry your ricotta and spinach are.
- Nutmeg: A small pinch is traditional with ricotta and spinach fillings and rounds out the flavor without tasting spiced.
- Sage: Fresh sage leaves crisp up in the butter and turn nutty. Dried sage won’t give the same texture, skip it if fresh isn’t available.
Pillowy Ricotta Spinach Malfatti with Sage Butter
Ingredients
Method
- Squeeze the cooked spinach in a clean towel until completely dry, then chop it finely.
- In a bowl, combine the drained ricotta, spinach, parmesan, egg, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until smooth.
- Add the flour a few tablespoons at a time, stirring just until the mixture holds together and is no longer sticky.
- Scoop tablespoon-size portions and roll into rough ovals with lightly floured hands, don't overwork the dough.
- Set the malfatti on a floured tray, cover, and chill for 30 minutes so they firm up before boiling.
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a gentle boil.
- Drop the malfatti in batches of 8 to 10 and boil until they float to the surface, about 2 to 3 minutes, then simmer 1 more minute.
- Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain briefly.
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, add the sage leaves, and cook until the butter turns light brown and the sage is crisp, about 3 minutes.
- Toss the malfatti in the brown butter, plate, and top with extra parmesan and black pepper.
Notes
- Drain ricotta overnight for the best chance of dumplings holding together.
- Chill shaped malfatti for 30 minutes before boiling, don't skip this step.
- Boil in batches of 8 to 10 so the pot doesn't crowd or cool down.
- Brown the butter just until it smells nutty, it burns fast after that point.
Tips for Success
- Drain the ricotta in a sieve over a bowl overnight so excess whey doesn’t loosen the dough.
- Squeeze the cooked spinach in a clean towel until no more liquid drips out.
- Chill the shaped malfatti for 30 minutes before boiling so they hold together better.
- Test one malfatto in the water first, if it falls apart, stir in another tablespoon of flour.
- Watch the butter closely once it starts foaming, it browns fast and burns within seconds after that.
Variations
- Swap spinach for the same weight of cooked, squeezed chard or beet greens for a more mineral flavor.
- Toss cooked malfatti in a light tomato sauce instead of sage butter for a brighter, tangier dish.
- Bake finished malfatti in a buttered dish with extra parmesan under the broiler for 3 minutes until spotted brown.
Storage and Reheating
Keep uncooked shaped malfatti in the fridge for up to a day, covered, on a floured tray. Cooked and buttered malfatti keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days.
To reheat, warm them gently in a skillet with a small knob of butter over low heat until heated through, about 4 minutes. Avoid the microwave, it turns the texture rubbery.
To freeze, arrange uncooked malfatti in a single layer on a tray, freeze until firm, then transfer to a bag. Boil straight from frozen, adding about 1 extra minute to the cooking time.
Serving Suggestions
Malfatti work as a first course on their own, plated with the sage butter spooned over and a dusting of parmesan. A grind of black pepper and a few extra whole sage leaves fried until crisp make a good finishing touch.
For a full meal, follow with a simple roast chicken or a plate of grilled vegetables, since the dumplings are rich enough that you don’t need a heavy main.
A glass of dry white wine, something like a Vermentino or unoaked Chardonnay, cuts through the butter well.
FAQ
Why do my malfatti fall apart when I boil them?
This usually means the ricotta or spinach still holds too much water, so the dough can’t hold its shape. Drain ricotta overnight in a sieve and squeeze cooked spinach hard in a towel before mixing. If a test dumpling breaks apart, stir in another tablespoon of flour before shaping the rest.
Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh for malfatti?
Yes, thawed frozen spinach works well as long as you squeeze it completely dry in a towel first. About 250 g fresh spinach, cooked and squeezed, equals roughly 180 to 200 g of thawed and squeezed frozen spinach. Skip this step and the dough turns too wet to shape.
Can I make malfatti ahead and freeze the uncooked dumplings?
Yes, shape the malfatti, freeze them in a single layer on a tray until firm, then move them to a freezer bag. Boil straight from frozen in salted water, adding about 1 extra minute so the centers heat through. This is the easiest make-ahead option for the dish.
What goes with malfatti besides sage butter?
A light tomato sauce or a simple brown butter with parmesan both work if you want a change from sage. Since the dumplings are already rich with ricotta and parmesan, keep the sauce simple and skip heavy cream sauces, which make the dish too dense.
Are malfatti gluten free?
Not as written, since the dough uses all-purpose flour to bind the ricotta and spinach. You can swap in a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend, though the dumplings may need a touch more flour to hold together in the boiling water. Test one first before shaping the whole batch.
What’s the difference between malfatti and gnocchi?
Malfatti are made from ricotta and spinach with just enough flour to bind them, while gnocchi are built around cooked potato and more flour. Malfatti are softer, lighter, and more rustic in shape, since the name literally means “badly made” compared to neatly rolled gnocchi.