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Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi

17/11/2023

Ricotta gnocchi is a delicious and relatively simple dish to prepare. Here is a classic recipe for making homemade ricotta gnocchi.

Ingredients

  • 500 g of fresh ricotta
  • 100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • Salt, to taste
  • Nutmeg, as desired
  • 150-200 g of all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Preparation

  1. Begin by draining the ricotta to remove any excess whey. You can do this by placing it in a colander lined with paper towels and letting it rest in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

  2. After the ricotta has been drained, transfer it to a large bowl and add the egg, a pinch of salt, and a grating of nutmeg. Mix well with a fork to blend the ingredients.

  3. Add the grated Parmesan and mix to incorporate it.

  4. Begin to add the flour, a little at a time, continuing to mix until a soft but not sticky dough is obtained. Ricotta gnocchi dough does not require excessive kneading, the secret is to add just enough flour to achieve the desired consistency.

  5. Dust a work surface with flour and start taking small amounts of the dough, forming cylinders about 2 cm thick.

  6. Cut the cylinders into pieces about 2 cm long to form the gnocchi and, if you wish, you can give the gnocchi the classic ridged shape using a special tool or the tines of a fork.

  7. As you form the gnocchi, place them on a floured tray without overlapping and let them dry out slightly.

  8. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the gnocchi a few at a time. They will be ready when they float to the surface, which will take about 2 minutes.

  9. Remove them with a slotted spoon and dress as desired. They are excellent with a simple seasoning of butter and sage or with a tomato sauce and basil.

Curiosity

In Italian tradition, ricotta gnocchi can be considered a lighter and summery version of classic potato gnocchi. They have regional variations, but the base always remains the ricotta as the main ingredient. In some variations, a bit of boiled and squeezed spinach is also added to obtain green gnocchi that are even more tasty.