Ricotta Gnocchi

I love these light and fluffy little pastas so much I requested them as my birthday dinner! But they’re perfect for the holidays, especially because they’re much lighter than their potato based cousins! Making them an amazing “primo piatto” (first course) for a big holiday feast!

Fresh ricotta is used as the base for these gnocchi, instead of potato. We drain it to remove any excess moisture, then mix it with parmigiano, an egg and flour. That’s all you need! It will probably take you about an hour to make the dough and roll all of the gnocchi. From there, you can freeze the raw gnocchi on their tray, and then transfer them to a zip baggie to use later. Just toss the frozen gnocchi into the boiling water. Don’t defrost them or they’ll stick together!

These gnocchi will work well with a number of sauces but my favorite is a nice Bolognese style. The big pieces of meat and vegetables get caught by the small pocket in the pasta, making sure every mouthful is loaded with flavor! As with any fresh pasta, cook them in well salted water that’s been brought to a rolling boil. When they float, they’re ready! Toss them with warm sauce, and serve with an extra sprinkle of parmigiano cheese! I hope you decide to give these a shot - if not for a holiday, just on a weekend for the fun (and deliciousness!) of it! Check out the video and grab the recipe below!

Buon Appetito!

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Ricotta Gnocchi
Serve 4 as a first course, 8 as an entrée

1 lb. fresh ricotta cheese
1 C. parmigiano cheese, grated
1 large egg
2 C. Caputo pasta flour
pinch of salt

Place the ricotta in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and let drain for at least 30 minutes, up to 1 hour.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, parmigiano, egg, salt and flour. Mix with hands until a smooth dough forms.

On a large, clean work surface, turn the dough out from the bowl and knead until completely smooth and form into a uniform ball. Cover with a damp kitchen towel.

Prepare 2 cookie sheets by sprinkling them with flour, set next to your work area.

Sprinkle some extra flour on your work surface and keep some more in a bowl nearby in case you need it. Use a sharp knife to cut a small piece off of the dough. Roll the piece into a snake, about 1 inch thick. Then cut 1 inch piece from the snake. Use a fork to form the gnocchi by gently rolling them down the front of the fork. Place each gnocchi on the prepared cookie sheet. Continue in this way until all of the dough is formed.

If you want to freeze the gnocchi for later use, place the entire tray in the freezer until they are frozen. Then transfer them to a zip baggie and continue storing in the freezer until you’re ready to use them. Otherwise, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.

Cook the gnocchi until they float, then transfer to your favorite sauce. Toss and serve hot with extra parmigiano.