The first time I had gnudi was at April Bloomfield’s The Spotted Pig in Greenwich Village, NY. I was entranced and vowed right then to figure out how to make them as good as hers! It took months of testing and trials, but we finally figured them out. Gnudi are very delicate once cooked, so handle them gently; they will fall apart if overcooked. After months of root vegetables and cabbage we Northwesterners are craving something green, and usually the first stinging nettles fill the void. At Lark I have a network of hard-working foragers who bring them right to me, but nettles grow wild all over. Whidbey Island’s bucolic setting is known for having nettles galore, so many a part-time forager takes their revenge on this weed! Use tongs for moving them from the storage container to the pan for cooking. Cooking removes the stinging properties. Nettles are highly nutritious, full of vitamins and minerals, as well as being delicious. And if this is all just too much, spinach is a great substitute!
