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1
Drain the ricotta in a sieve lined with cheesecloth overnight in the refrigerator.
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2
Measure out 1 1/4 cups.
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3
Bring a large pot of water, heavily seasoned with salt, to a boil.
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4
Trim the chard, removing all stems and large ridges.
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5
Add half to the boiling water and cook until soft, about 3 minutes.
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6
Fish out and plunge into a bowl of ice water.
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7
Repeat.
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8
Squeeze out chard with your hands.
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9
On a dish towel, spread the chard in a circle the size of a pie.
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10
Roll up the towel and have someone help you twist the ends to squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
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11
Pulse in a food processor until fine.
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12
Squeeze out in a dish towel once more, until very dry.
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13
(You will have about 1 cup.)
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14
Melt half the butter.
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15
Mix chard and ricotta.
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16
Add melted butter, 1/4 cup flour, 1 heaping teaspoon salt and nutmeg and mix again.
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17
Drop in egg yolks and egg, season with pepper and stir again.
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18
Sprinkle a cutting board with flour.
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19
Shape into 1 ounce balls, about 1 tablespoon each, dropping them on the cutting board.
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20
You should have 25 to 30.
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21
Put a teaspoon of flour into a narrow wineglass.
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22
Drop in a ball and swirl until it forms an oval.
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23
Repeat.
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24
(You may need to change the glass.)
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25
You may freeze them at this point.
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26
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
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27
Drop in the malfatti and cook until they float, about 8 minutes.
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28
(If frozen, 10 minutes.)
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29
Put remaining butter in a small saute pan and heat until bubbling, shaking the pan.
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30
When it smells nutty, add sage and cook 30 seconds.
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31
Season with salt.
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32
Drain malfatti and place on plates.
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33
Spoon on the butter and sage.
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34
Grate Parmesan over each plate.
