Ingredients

Step by step

1. Rinse the spinach in batches; shake off the excess water and add to your largest saucepan or sauté pan as you go. Cover and cook over a high heat until the spinach has wilted (about 5 minutes). Drain well in a colander and leave to cool.
2. Meanwhile, pour off the excess liquid from the tubs of ricotta, then place the ricotta in the middle of a clean tea towel. Bring together the corners and then, over the sink, wring out as much liquid as possible from the cheese. Set aside in a large bowl.
3. Once cooled, pile the spinach into the same tea towel and wring out in the same way to squeeze out as much water as possible, then roughly chop. Add to the ricotta with the parmesan, lemon zest, egg, salt and 50g of the semolina. Season with black pepper, then mix well with a fork until combined.
4. Put the remaining semolina in a bowl and dust extra into a lipped baking tray to form a shallow layer. Shape the ricotta mixture into approximately 24 balls (around 30-35g each). Roll in the bowl of semolina to coat, then arrange on the prepared tray. Chill for at least 5 hours (or overnight), uncovered, to create a ‘skin’ that helps the gnudi hold together.
5. Bring a saucepan of salted water to a gentle boil. Melt half the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Once foaming, add the sage leaves and fry for 2-3 minutes until beginning to crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon onto kitchen paper. Add the remaining butter to the pan and leave to melt over a low heat. Lower half the gnudi into the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes, or until they start to bob to the top. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the butter in the pan and repeat with the remaining gnudi. Carefully roll the gnudi in the melted butter, then divide among bowls. Top with the crispy sage and extra parmesan to serve.
   
   *Use a vegetarian cheese alternative, if required.