Ricotta Gnudi
Taleggio Fonduta, Spiced Date Purée, Brown Butter California Almonds
Chefs David LeFevre and Joshua Pressman of Manhattan Beach Post | Manhattan Beach, CA
For this dish, we chose to highlight California almonds—a versatile cornerstone of our state’s bounty. This dish is inspired by classic cheese boards, which typically serve as a choose-your-own-adventure of varied flavors and textures. By toasting the almonds in brown butter, we enhance a mildly sweet and slightly earthy flavor, drawing out chocolate aromas and notes of marzipan. The dish explores the crunchy texture of almonds which contrasts the ricotta semolina gnudi’s creaminess. The salty, nutty flavor of the brown butter roasted California almonds complements the taleggio fonduta’s richness and the spiced date puree’s sweetness, creating a balanced bite of contrasting elements: sweet, salty, creamy, and crunchy.
Adapted by StarChefs | February 2026 | Photo: Jakob Layman
INGREDIENTS
Gnudi:
4 pounds ricotta, drained
126 grams semolina flour
96 grams grated parmesan
18 grams kosher salt
2 egg yolks
1 egg white
Taleggio Fonduta:
8 ounces taleggio, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ cup heavy cream
Kosher salt
Brown Butter California Almonds:
500 grams unsalted butter
500 grams peeled California almonds
Kosher salt
Spiced Date Purée:
5 grams star anise
5 grams fennel seeds
600 grams pitted Medjool dates
400 grams rice vinegar
150 grams brown sugar
Fried Sage:
Oil for frying
25 grams sage leaves
2 grams kosher
To Assemble and Serve:
Kosher salt
Unsalted butter
METHOD
For the Gnudi:
In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, flour, parmesan, and salt. Once combined, gently whisk in egg yolks and whites. Using gloved hands, knead until a cohesive pasta dough forms, adding water or additional flour as needed to achieve desired consistency. Shape into a ball and transfer to a lightly oiled mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and portion into even 1 tablespoon spheres. Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet tray. Dust with additional flour. Refrigerate, uncovered, 12 hours.
For the Taleggio Fonduta:
Place cheese in a heatproof bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to a simmer. Pour over cheese. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap to trap heat. Let sit 20 minutes. Transfer to a blender and purée until smooth. Season with salt. Transfer to a siphon canister with 1 charge. Refrigerate.
For the Brown Butter California Almonds:
In a medium pot over medium-low heat, melt butter until a deep golden brown color is achieved, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in almonds. Season with salt. Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet tray and let cool. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and reserve.
For the Spiced Date Purée:
In a cheesecloth, combine star anise and fennel. Wrap with twine to form a sachet and set aside. In a pot over medium-high heat, bring all ingredients, spice sachet, and 300 grams water to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes, or until dates are fork-tender. Remove and discard sachet. Transfer mixture to a blender and purée until smooth. Let cool. Transfer to a squeeze bottle and set aside.
For the Fried Sage:
In a frying pan over medium flame, heat oil to 350°F. Add sage leaves and fry until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let drain. Season with salt and set aside.
To Assemble and Serve:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add 9 pieces Gnudi and cook 3 minutes, or until just al dente. Strain and set aside. In a sauté pan over medium heat, brown butter. Add cooked Gnudi and stir to evenly coat. Keep warm. Place 9 dots Spiced Date Purée across the bottom of a shallow serving bowl. Top each doth with 1 Gnudi. Spoon 2 tablespoons brown butter over top, letting pool to the sides of the bowl. Cover with Taleggio Fonduta. Finish with Fried Sage and Brown Butter California Almonds.
