Kale & Malfatti for 3 (4 or 5 as a starter)
Ingredients:
300g Ricotta, strained in a sieve for at least 20 minutes
120g - 150g Semolina flour (00 flour or plain flour is also fine to use)
200g Kale, stripped from the stalk
50g grated parmesan + extra for on top
2 egg yolks
Zest of 1 lemon
Half a grated nutmeg
salt & pepper
FOR THE SAUCE:
75g butter
20 sage leaves
Method:
Blanch the Kale in salted, boiling water for 5 minutes. Strain in a colander and squeeze all the excess moisture out, it is important for the kale to be as dry as possible. Place the kale on a board and chop up very finely with a knife.
Place the ricotta, semolina flour (120g to start with), grated parmesan, egg yolks, lemon zest, nutmeg & a generous pinch of salt & black pepper in a large bowl.
Mix everything together well & taste to check seasoning, add more salt if required. If the mixture is seeming too wet, add extra flour until you can easily form a ball, without it being too sticky.
Next make the brown butter sauce. Place the butter in a small non-stick pan on a medium heat, when the butter starts to bubble add the sage leaves, keep stirring & scraping the bottom of the pan until the butter is golden & smelling nutty & caramelised, do not burn, don’t blink, this is a fine line.
Bring a large pan of salted boiling water to the boil, turn down to a simmer & add the Malfatti. After a few minutes they will rise to the surface, at this point keep to a simmer for a further 3 minutes. They should cook for around 5/6 minutes in total.
Strain the Malfatti in a colander and plate up, allowing about 7 per person for a main course.
Spoon over the butter & sage, grate over some parmesan & extra nutmeg, Enjoy!
