FENNEL AND TOMATO SOUP WITH RICOTTA DUMPLINGS

Makes enough for 4 persons

The warmth and calm of this dish is revelatory. It lies somewhere between winter and spring. It can be made with or without tomatoes, but the tomato’s brightness ticks it up a notch. Even with the tomato, it is still wine-friendly, and is wonderful with a dry Italian white such as Vermentino Castello di Jesi. You’ll need to drain the ricotta a day ahead.

1 lg bulb fennel, thinly sliced
4 TBL fennel fronds from top of bulb, chopped
1 small onion, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
3 TBL extra virgin olive oil
4 oz peeled whole Italian tomatoes, crushed
3 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
½ tsp sea salt
4 TBL pecorino romano, grated

Sauté fennel, onions in olive oil without developing color. Add tomato and thyme and simmer until tomato is concentrated and sauce is slightly broken. Add chicken stock and bay leaf. Simmer uncovered for 10 mins. Remove thyme and bay leaf. Add fennel fronds to soup. Adjust salt, if needed.

RICOTTA DUMPLINGS

6 oz fresh sheep’s milk ricotta
2 tsp melted butter
1 egg yolk
2 TBL parmesan cheese, finely grated
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1 ½ TBL all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Drain ricotta overnight in a strainer lined with cheesecloth, pressing with a light weight. When drained, break up ricotta in a bowl with a spoon or fork. Stir in melted butter, egg, 2 tablespoons parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and lemon zest until just blended. Sprinkle flour over ricotta in teasponfuls and mix gently with a wooden spoon until ricotta holds together as a light dough. With a spoon, form ricotta into 1-inch dumplings and toss in flour. Lay dumplings on a floured parchment paper on a sheet pan; refrigerate for 2 hours before cooking. Drop dumplings one by one into gently boiling water. Dumplings will first sink, then float to the surface. Cook dumplings for 3 minutes until firm. Add dumplings to warm soup into a soup tureen. Serve into warm bowls at table. Garnish each indivual bowl with a spoonful of Pecorino romano.

Fennel and roasted tomato soup with ricotta dumplings