Ricotta Gnocchi
Ingredients
For the Ricotta Gnocchi
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for boiling the gnocchi
- 1½ cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (I use Galbani brand whole milk ricotta)
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off, plus more for rolling
For Serving
- 2 tablespoons Lemon-Herb Compound Butter (recipe below) or plain unsalted butter
- Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- Flaky sea salt
Lemon-Herb Compound Butter (Optional)
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley, dill, cilantro, chives, or a mix)
- Zest of one lemon
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- In a medium bowl, add the Parmigiano Reggiano, ricotta, egg yolks, and olive oil and mix with a fork until well combined. Sprinkle the flour and salt on top, and stir with the fork to gently combine. When the mixture gets too thick to mix with a fork, use your hands to form the dough into a disk.
- Place the dough on a wooden surface lightly dusted with flour. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper, then dust it with flour. Cut the disk into 4 equal-size portions and roll each portion into a long rope, about ½ in (13 mm) in diameter. Using a bench scraper (or a knife), cut the rope into ½-in (13-mm) to 1-in (2.5-cm) segments. Place on the prepared sheet pan and toss gently to coat in flour to prevent sticking. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- When all the gnocchi have been formed, add the compound butter (or plain unsalted butter) to a large nonstick skillet. Set over low heat and gently melt.
- Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook until they all float to the surface, about 3 minutes. Remove them with a spider strainer or slotted spoon (save the cooking liquid) and transfer the gnocchi directly into the pan of melted butter. Toss to coat, then gently stir in about ¼ to ½ (60 to 120 ml) cup of the reserved pasta water until a thick and luscious sauce forms.
- Serve topped with grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and flaky sea salt.
For The Lemon-Herb Compound Butter (Optional)
- Place the softened unsalted butter in a medium bowl. Add the chopped fresh herbs and lemon zest. Mash with a fork until evenly blended. Place an 8 x 11-in (20 x 28-cm) rectangle of parchment paper on your work surface, then scrape the butter mixture into the middle. Using your hand and the spatula, scrape it into a rough cylinder, shaping as you roll. Place the cylinder on a sheet of plastic wrap, then twist into a tight cylinder. Set in the fridge to chill until firm, about 4 hours.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.