It’s still winter out there, in fact as I write this I’m looking at snowflakes falling. To me, there’s nothing like a bowl of hot steamy soup to warm me up, and this one fits the bill. Not only is it quick to make, providing you have all the ingredients, but it’s also very healthy and light, there’s not one bit of flour in these dumplings!
Cheesy ricotta dumplings flavored with fresh parsley, parmesan cheese and a hint of garlic bathing in a bowl of broth, doesn’t that sound good? You can even use a veggie broth if you like, and maybe even add a few fresh spinach leaves right into your bowl for extra color and flavor.
Heres the recipe:Adapted from a 1998 La Cucina Italiana magazine
1 pound ricotta
3 cloves of minced garlic
Italian parsley minced
1 cup bread crumbs
7 ounces of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 eggs
12 cups of good chicken broth, homemade or store bought, plus extra for cooking dumplings in.
Combine the first 6 ingredients into a bowl, make sure everything is incorporated. Roll spoonfuls of the mixture into cherry tomato sized balls, set aside. This recipe gives you at least 24 to 30 ricotta balls.
These little dumplings tend to puff up so try not to overcrowd them like I did in the photo above, otherwise they might hit each other and break up a bit. Simmer slowly in some of the extra hot broth until they’re cooked through. They rise to the top and double in size when they’re done.
The reason I like to cook my dumplings first separately in some of the extra broth, is because in case a dumpling breaks, or tiny pieces of dumpling break off it won’t cloud up all your broth, I think it just looks visually better that way.
Then carefully take them out with a slotted spoon, place as many cooked dumplings you want in their individual bowls and ladle some of the existing 12 cups of broth you have preserved, so the 12 cups should be enough to cover the 24-30 dumplings you will make, and you’ll need at least an extra 4 cups to pre-cook your dumplings in.
Enjoy and Buon Appetito!
I’m Marie, a wife, mother, mother-in-law, and gramma of two beautiful girls. My passion is food, clear and simple but especially Italian food, hence the name of my blog, Proud Italian Cook. I want you to feel right at home here so grab a cup of coffee, I’ll get the pastries, take a look around and enjoy your visit! {
I tasted these twice in my childhood. My grandmother was the cook in her household but, for some reason, my grandfather was in charge of this recipe and he cooked infrequently. I remember standing next to him at the stove and listening him to tell me how to drop them in the broth. And who could forget the taste? Too young to pay much attention to the recipe, I was always sorry I never learned how to make them. I tried a few times – too soft, fell apart. Disappointment. I cannot wait to try these proportions.
If they feel to fragile just add a little flour Maria
I made this tonight – or rather tried to and my dumplings completely fell apart. Any thoughts on why?!
Christina, Sorry about that, it might have been the ricotta, maybe too wet, it sounds like you needed more bread crumbs to hold it together.
I’ve never had ricotta dumplings before. That sounds delish. It’s Italian Matzo Ball soup! 😉 Definitely going to give this one a try. Thanks!
We make something very similar when we make sopressata. we add some of the sausage meat to them too. YUM!
Love it! Got me thinking of matzoh balls…we definitely cook them separately, then you can have a clear lovely broth like yours.
I must try these.
LL
Light, healthy comfort food – perfect! Your soup looks absolutely delicious!
Great idea. It’s like gnudi soup. Definitely want to try this.
These are Italian matzoh balls!
I love La Cucina Italiana magazine…I just made the pollo diavolo!
Oh I have to try this…
Hi Marie – I’ve got free internet right now so can check on what you’re up to and it looks like you’re up to more delicious things. This is very similarto ‘canederli’ which is a specialty of the northern italy area near Austria where I’ll be going to ski in a couple of days. There, they use a bread crumb mixture and not ricotta, but I love your version too.
Having just finished some very tasty sausage soup, I can tell you that I can abolutely have a bowl of your soup right now – I could never turn down a ricotta dumpling. And I will echo someone else as I also state – only homemade broth for these lovelies. One must appreciate them.
Marie, I would insist on a homemade chicken broth…the dumplings deserve, no? Comfort food.
Perfect dinner,very good idea and delicious!!!
I tried these once with a recipe from Giada….Yuck. Mine didn’t look as good as yours do. In fact they were so gross looking that I never even tasted them. You have inspired me to try again.
It’s the perfect time of year for soup…and broth based soups are usually pretty healthy. This looks delicous.
Here I am, posting a sorbet, and you’re posting a beautiful soup! This reminds me of a German soup, more like a Matzo soup. I really like the idea of using ricotta a LOT. I love making soups, so count me in on this one. It’s truly comforting.
Don’t you just LOVE La Cucina Italiana? For Christmas I bought my aunt a year’s subscription. And this soup! Oh, Marie I just had my 4 wisdom teeth taken out and this dish looks like heaven!! If I get the gumption up I must try it. Bella! Brava! Ciao!
I adore this whole concept. I’ve never done it before. it’s on my short list. just beautiful.
I made one of Giada’s recipes from Everyday Pasta that was very similar to this! I really liked it. I think I made my dumplings a little to large – yours look like the perfect size 🙂
This looks so good. I have some chicken stock in the freezer just waiting to be turned into something delicious. This may be it!!
I’m bookmarking this. They look (and sound) absolutely delicious. Another winner! That top photo!
The photos are very inviting. A bowl of hot soup is perfect this time of the year. And ricotta dumplings are delicious.
MM I love matzo soup and this is what reminds me of it, only Italian style!
Looks like the perfect light but comforting food for this time of year! I’ve never eaten ricotta dumplings before … I really must try this recipe. You had me at Ricotta 🙂
Those look so good in the broth. Comfort food for these chilly days and nights. Kathy.
I like your new blog header Marie!
This soup looks so tasty! The ricotta dumplings must justmelt in the mouth…mmmm
o me, that is very elegant!!!
It also looks easy enough to make for a larger group of people and that appeals to me!!!
I would eat that entire pot. 🙂
We had some warmth down here but the temperature is dropping PDQ. Ricotta dumplings and a hunky of bread, perfect timing!
Love in a bowl :>)
mmmm…this soup sounds wonderful! I will give the recipe a try!
This is my kind of meal. These re,omd me of gnudi but with the rich delicious broth it takes these to kew heights.