Chocolate-Strawberry Dumplings with Rhubarb Stewed in Red Wine

To make the dough: Whip the butter until softened. Beat in the egg yolks and salt. Add lemon zest and beat in. Sift the flour with the cocoa powder and beat into the butter-egg mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the ricotta. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.

To make the stewed rhubarb: Remove the leaves and heavy bottom ends of the rhubarb stalks, and remove the strings. Cut the rhubarb into 1-inch or smaller pieces. Put the wine and sugar into a deep saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the rhubarb, cinnamon stick, and lemon zest, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover. Simmer until just soft, 20 - 30 minutes. Remove from the rhubarb with a slotted spoon and put it in a bowl. Increase the heat to medium and cook the juice until it is reduced to a syrup. Set aside to cool; when cooled to room temperature, pour the syrup over the rhubarb.

Reserve 4 strawberries for garnish. Hull the remaining strawberries. With your hands, mold the ricotta dough around the strawberries. Moisten your fingers with a little water and smooth the dough. Bring a pot of light salted water to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and let the water simmer. Using a slotted spoon, lower the encased strawberries into the water and let them cook for 10 minutes. Melt the butter and stir it into the bread crumbs to moisten. Remove and drain the strawberries well on paper towels; roll them in the buttered crumb mixture.

To serve: Make narrow cuts in the reserved strawberries almost all the way up to the green caps. Fan the berries out below the green caps. Divide the chocolate-strawberry dumplings among the plates. Spoon the rhubarb onto each plate, and garnish with fanned strawberries.