Tuscan gnudi are soft, melt in your mouth dumplings of ricotta and spinach, spiced with a hint of nutmeg. If those ingredients sound familiar, it’s probably because they are also a common filling for ravioli. Unlike ravioli, gnudi don’t have a pasta wrapping so they are essentially a ravioli that’s naked, or, in the local dialect,gnudo. The Tuscan’s are masters of simplicity, so leave it to them to actually improve upon a ravioli by taking away the pasta. Without an exterior shell to contain them, gundi are quite delicate and also much lighter than their dough-covered counterparts. Typically served in a pomodoro or sage and butter sauce and sprinkled with finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, gnudi manage to taste both rich and fresh at the same time.
NOTE: Gnudi are also called malfatti in Siena and strozzapreti in some parts of Tuscany, but be careful because strozzapreti refers to other dishes outside of Tuscany.