I absolutely adore the joyful process of crafting spinach and ricotta malfatti, which can be likened to airy, irregularly shaped dumplings that remind one of fresh gnocchi. This delightful recipe hails from the late Russell Norman’s Venice cookbook. He suggests a distinctive technique for shaping these dumplings by dropping the mixture into a wine glass filled with polenta, swirling it around to coat each piece before poaching. I first prepared these for my parents’ first visit to our new home and invited everyone to join in on the swirling excitement; I also modified them for my daughter Alba during her weaning stage (with less salt), getting her involved as soon as she could hold a wine glass. They are simply irresistible! However, now that I have two toddlers to care for, I’ve streamlined the process by transforming them into fritters while making good use of the abundant chard from our garden. This dish pays homage to Russell’s original creation.
Chard Fritters with Sage butter
Planning Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2-3 people
350g chard
100g grated parmesan cheese (choose vegetarian if needed)
250g ricotta cheese
100g all-purpose flour
1 medium egg
1 tsp sea salt flakes
Olive oil (for frying)
25g salted butter
15 sage leaves
Start by thoroughly washing the chard. Place it in a microwave-safe bowl covered with a lid (I prefer using a Pyrex bowl topped with an appropriately sized plate). Microwave on high for two minutes, stir well, then return it to cook for another two minutes.
After cooking, drain any excess water from the chard and let it cool slightly before squeezing out most of its moisture. Transfer the chard into a food processor and chop until finely diced—aiming for small pieces rather than purée or large chunks. Add in parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, flour, egg, and salt; pulse briefly until just combined.
Add one tablespoon of olive oil into a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.In batches, drop heaped tablespoons of your malfatti mixture into the pan and fry each side for about two to three minutes until they achieve an even golden brown color.Once cooked thru, place them on paper towels lined on a plate while you continue frying any remaining batter (you can keep these warm in an oven set at low temperature if desired).
In another small skillet over low heat, melt your butter before adding sage leaves. Increase heat slightly to medium and sauté for about two to three minutes until both leaves are crispy and butter is browned—be attentive here so that you don’t let it burn!
Your malfatti fritters are now ready! Drizzle generously with sage butter when serving; they pair beautifully without much else but would complement sparkling water or wine nicely.