Nuvole Di Drago Recipe

Prepare ricotta mixture

Place the fresh ricotta in a large bowl and stir with a fork to smooth. Add the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt and black pepper, mixing until evenly combined.

Whip egg whites

In a separate clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they hold medium-stiff peaks. Do not overbeat to dryness.

Fold and shape

Gently fold one-third of the whipped egg whites into the ricotta mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites until just combined and airy. Sprinkle the flour and semolina over the mixture and fold lightly until incorporated — the batter should be soft but hold shape. Adjust with an extra tablespoon of flour or semolina if too loose.

Heat oil

Pour the vegetable oil into a deep, heavy pan to a depth of 4–5 cm and heat to 180°C (350°F). If you don’t have a thermometer, test with a small drop of batter — it should sizzle and rise steadily without browning immediately.

Fry nuvole

Using two spoons or a small ice-cream scoop (approximately 2 tablespoons per cloud), drop mounds of the ricotta mixture carefully into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan; fry in batches of 6–8 pieces. Fry until golden and puffed, about 2.5–3.5 minutes per side, turning once with a slotted spoon so they brown evenly.

Drain

Remove the fried ricotta clouds with a slotted spoon and drain on a rack set over a tray or on paper towels. Keep warm in a low oven (90–100°C) if frying subsequent batches.

Make wasabi glaze

In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, wasabi paste, lime juice, honey, and soy sauce until smooth and bright green. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more wasabi for heat or more honey for sweetness. The glaze should be pourable but thick; if too thick, thin with 1 tsp water at a time.

Assemble plating

Spoon a thin pool of the wasabi glaze onto each serving plate. Arrange 3–4 warm ricotta nuvole on top of the glaze. Scatter microgreens over the clouds, add a few slices of red chili if using and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Add pickled ginger and cucumber slices to the side as optional palate cleansers and serve with lime wedges.

Serve pickled ginger and cucumber slices in a small side dish or arranged alongside the nuvole. Offer extra wasabi glaze or lime wedges for guests to add acidity or heat to taste.