What exactly are Gnudi Balls, you ask? Well, in Italian, gnudi means "naked," just like it sounds. Gnudi Balls are “naked ravioli.” They are the filling of the ravioli without the pasta. They are a traditional Tuscan dish, sometimes called malfatti, which means “badly made” because of their less than perfect shape. Sometimes, they are called ricotta gnocchi because the main ingredient is ricotta cheese but while they are dumplings, they are not gnocchi at all. There is no pasta dough involved. Gnudi Balls are usually made with whole-milk ricotta cheese, Parmesan, eggs, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and flour. They are boiled like ravioli, but they can also be baked. And because they contain no pasta, they can be served with pasta and with any kind of sauce you prefer: Marinara, garlic and oil, or a brown vegan butter sauce. Of course, my Gnudi Balls are vegan and gluten-free. I made them with tofu, spinach, chickpea flour, vegan grated parmesan, and spices. With no full-fat dairy or egg products, my Gnudi Balls are the healthier balls. I also added spinach for more taste, texture, and vitamins; not to mention, how pretty the Gnudi Balls look with their speckled green color. My Spinach Tofu Gnudi Balls were a delicious, different spin on a trendy Italian dish. Try them and see. To paraphrase Alec Baldwin, “No one can resist my Gnudi Balls.”

Spinach Tofu Gnudi Balls [Vegan]

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