Ricotta and chard dumplings
Merlin’s credentials
‘As chef proprietor of Osip and The Old Pharmacy bistro, both in the Somerset town of Bruton, I grow vegetables and fruit with organic practices and according to no-dig principles, which we use in the two restaurants.’
Merlin’s tip for sustainable sourcing
‘We buy our ricotta from Westcombe Dairy. It’s produced on a regenerative farm that is just up the road from us, using leftover whey from the cheddar and the caerphilly cheese-making process.’
Why have you chosen this recipe?
‘Based on a traditional Italian dish called malfatti, which translates as “poorly made”, this is one of my favourite recipes to serve at The Old Pharmacy. These dumplings are made using a creamy ricotta and, instead of traditional spinach, we like to use underrated chard, as this is some- thing that we grow in large quantities almost all year round. It is a resilient, versatile crop that can be harvested over a long season. This recipe can be adapted by using a different green such as cavolo nero instead of chard, or a hard English cheese like cheddar as an alternative to the parmesan.’
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Recipe information
Yield
Serves 6 as a starter
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Boil the chard in salted water for 4 minutes, then drain and leave to cool. Squeeze out all the water and chop finely. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, the parmesan and the cooked chard. Using a wooden spoon, beat in the egg and plain flour. Season with some salt, freshly ground black pepper and a generous grating of nutmeg.
Step 2
Sprinkle half the semolina flour over a large tray. Put a little flour on your hands and roll the ricotta mixture into dumplings roughly the size of ping-pong balls. Place them on the semolina-lined tray, ensuring they are not touching each other. Coat them with the remainder of the semolina flour. Leave in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours.
Step 3
Take a pan that is large enough to accommodate all the dumplings, fill it with water and bring to the boil. Place the dumplings in the water and cook until they start to rise to the surface (about 3-4 minutes).
Step 4
While the dumplings are cooking, heat the butter in another large pan. Once the butter is foaming, add a few spoonfuls of the dumpling cooking water and the fresh marjoram. Turn off the heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the dumplings directly from the boiling water into the butter and toss well. Serve immediately with lots of extra parmesan and some freshly ground black pepper.
