A Note from Cleo
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Cleo Coyle has a partner in
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Malfatti are also a great deal of fun to form, and I'll show you how to do this using a simple wine glass. I even made some videos to help illustrate the step.
Finally, as with standard ravioli, the sauce provides a big
part of the flavor so try to make it fresh.
Our favorite quick, delicious homemade sauce is the "1,2, 3 Magic Meatless Sauce" that Marc and I shared in the recipe section of our 16th Coffeehouse Mystery Dead Cold Brew, now a national bestseller in its paperback reprint edition.
May you eat (and read) with joy!
~ Cleo
 |
| Click here for the Free Recipe Guide to Dead Cold Brew, now a National Bestseller in paperback! |
Our favorite quick, delicious homemade sauce is the "1,2, 3 Magic Meatless Sauce" that Marc and I shared in the recipe section of our 16th Coffeehouse Mystery Dead Cold Brew, now a national bestseller in its paperback reprint edition.
May you eat (and read) with joy!
~ Cleo
🍴
Cleo Coyle's
Passover Ravioli "Matzo Malfatti"Makes about 16 pieces – 4 servings of 4 each
Ingredients:
For the Malfatti:
For the Malfatti:
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon table salt)
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasonings (or your own mix of herbs,
see my note at the end of this recipe*)
see my note at the end of this recipe*)
1 cup whole milk ricotta (pour off any visible liquid)
1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan or aged Asiago)
1/2 cup matzo meal + about 1/2 cup more for finishing
(optional) A few cloves of garlic and more salt for the boiling water
(optional) A few cloves of garlic and more salt for the boiling water
Variation: For Spinach Malfatti,
see my note at the end of this recipe.
see my note at the end of this recipe.
Step 1 – Make the dough: In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs well. Add oil, salt, white pepper, and Italian seasoning mix. Add the ricotta and whisk vigorously until the mixture is completely smooth (no lumps!). Stir in the grated hard cheese. (If creating the spinach or kale version, add the pureed spinach onion and garlic mixture now.) Finally, stir in the 1/2 cup of matzo meal.
Step 3 – Form the naked ravioli: Watch my little videos (below) to see exactly how to do this....
Video Fun
📷
Click here to see
my complete
YouTube Video
How to Form Malfatti
with a Wine Glass
Drop 1 heaping tablespoon of dough into
a bowl of matzo meal and lightly coat.
The dough ball will knock against the sides of the glass, forming a smooth elongated oval, like a little football. Gently slide the finished dumpling onto a plate. Repeat with a new lump of dough.
📷
Click here to see
my complete
YouTube Video
How to Form Malfatti
with a Wine Glass
Drop 1 heaping tablespoon of dough into
a bowl of matzo meal and lightly coat.
Drop the dough ball
into a large wine glass.
into a large wine glass.
Hold the glass by the stem and spin it in your hand as if you were swirling wine. First move it vigorously in a circular motion and then in a side-to-side motion.
 |
| First in a Circular Motion... |
 |
| Then in a Side-to-Side Motion... |
The dough ball will knock against the sides of the glass, forming a smooth elongated oval, like a little football. Gently slide the finished dumpling onto a plate. Repeat with a new lump of dough.
🍷
FREEZE (or not): If you have time, and for the very best results, freeze the dumplings before cooking. Otherwise, move to the next step and cook without freezing.
Step 4 – To cook: Fill a deep pan with water, generously sprinkle with kosher salt and add a few cloves of garlic. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Gently add the malfatti to the water. Do not crowd, be sure the dumplings have room to expand while cooking. Boil for about 12 to 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove. Place them on plates covered with paper towels to remove excess water.
Step 5 – Cool: Allow the hot malfatti to cool to room temperature. As they cool, the texture changes, becoming more dense. To serve, move gently to plates, cover with well-heated marinara sauce, sprinkle with grated Pecorino, Parmesan, or aged Asiago cheese and…eat with joy!
*NOTE ON HERBS: In the recipe, I suggest using a standard mix of dried Italian seasonings to save time, but you can certainly create your own combination of dried or fresh herbs. I suggest oregano, rosemary, parsley, and basil, perhaps some garlic and/or onion powder. The final mix is to your own taste.
**NOTE ON SAUCE: If you’re not a fan of red sauce to finish the malfatti, try a cream sauce, or simply sauté slices of garlic in butter and olive oil. Throw in some chopped basil and thyme and pour the buttery herb sauce over the malfatti.
🌿
SPINACH MALFATTI
This is a delicious and highly nutritious variation. To make it, simply dice up 1 large onion (3 cups roughly chopped) and 4 cloves of garlic. Warm a bit of olive oil in a skillet and sauté the onions and garlic.
After the onions have caramelized into a light brown color, add no more than 2 cups of chopped frozen spinach (or kale). Stir and cook the spinach for a good ten minutes (see more on this below).
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You're watching for steam to rise from the spinach, which means the liquid is evaporating. That's your goal here--to dry out the spinach.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree. This spinach-onion-garlic mix should measure about 1 cup packed. If you have more than that, do not use the extra. Use only 1 cup packed.
Pop the mixture into the fridge or freezer to cool it quickly to room temperature and add where indicated in Step 1 of the recipe. Then proceed as directed and...
~ Cleo Coyle
New York Times bestselling author
of The Coffeehouse Mysteries
of The Coffeehouse Mysteries
Alice and Marc in Central Park.
Together we write as Cleo Coyle.
5 Best of Year Lists!
👇
5 Best of Year Lists!
☕
Now in paperback!
Now in paperback!
Amazon * B&N
*
IndieBound * BAM
"A gripping and entertaining mystery"
--Library Journal (Starred Review)
*
"Penetrating insights" --Kirkus Reviews
*
"Sure to delight" --Publishers Weekly
🍴
Our culinary mystery includes
25 delicious recipes! To get the
Free Recipe Guide, click here.
Click for Free Recipe Guide
to Shot in the Dark.
"A gripping and entertaining mystery"
--Library Journal (Starred Review)
*
"Penetrating insights" --Kirkus Reviews
*
"Sure to delight" --Publishers Weekly
🍴
Our culinary mystery includes
25 delicious recipes! To get the
Free Recipe Guide, click here.
25 delicious recipes! To get the
Free Recipe Guide, click here.
|
| Click for Free Recipe Guide to Shot in the Dark. |
A "Best Book of 2018!"
*
~ Suspense Magazine
"He is hardboiled in the tradition
of Philip Marlowe, and she is a genteel
Miss Marple; yet the two opposites
make an explosive combination..."
—Midwest Book Review
"He is hardboiled in the tradition
of Philip Marlowe, and she is a genteel
Miss Marple; yet the two opposites
make an explosive combination..."
—Midwest Book Review
of Philip Marlowe, and she is a genteel
Miss Marple; yet the two opposites
make an explosive combination..."
—Midwest Book Review