Ingredients
- 500 g of ricotta
- 125 g of extra fine ‘00’ flour
- 0.5 whole nutmeg, finely grated
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- 800 g of leeks, finely sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, finely chopped (peel on; ends and seeds discarded)
- 3 courgettes, peeled into ribbons
- 10 g of basil, chopped
- 10 g of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 10 g of mint leaves, chopped
- 15 g of unsalted butter
- 100 g of ocado british hard goat’s cheese, finely grated, plus extra to serve
Method
Step 1
To drain the ricotta, put a couple of layers of kitchen towel across 2 plates and divide the ricotta between them; spread with a spatula. Cover each with more kitchen towel and a plate to weigh it down. Leave for 5 mins. Peel off the kitchen towel; if any ricotta gets stuck, use the spatula to scrape it off.Step 2
In a large bowl, combine the flour, ricotta, goat’s cheese, nutmeg, ½ tsp salt and some pepper. Make a well in the middle and add the beaten egg. Use a fork to work in the egg, then lightly bring together by hand into a dough (overworking the mixture will mean heavy dumplings). Cover and chill for at least 1 hr, or up to 24 hrs.Step 3
Shape the dough into 24 balls, about 30g each. Chill on a tray lined with baking paper for 30 mins.Step 4
Heat the oil in a sauté pan on medium-high. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt; cover. Cook for 10 mins, stirring now and then. Add the garlic and lemon; cook, lid off, for 20 mins. Add the courgettes and most of the herbs; cover, cook for 3 mins to soften. Keep warm on the lowest heat, lid off.Step 5
Cook the dumplings in boiling salted water until they bob to the top (4 mins).Step 6
Cook the butter in a pan until browned and nutty. Set aside.Step 7
Serve the leek mixture with the dumplings, a drizzle of browned butter, extra herbs and cheese, and a pinch of cracked black pepper, if you like.