Ricotta Gnocchi

Ricotta gnocchi are a delightful and relatively simple dish to prepare. Here’s a basic recipe you can follow:

Ingredients

• 250 g of ricotta
• 75 g of flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 large egg
• 30 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt, to taste
• Nutmeg, to taste

Preparation

1. Mix the ricotta with the egg, Parmesan, a pinch of salt, and a little grated nutmeg in a bowl until smooth.
2. Gradually add flour to the ricotta mixture, working the ingredients until a soft but non-sticky dough forms. Add a little more flour if necessary.
3. Dust some flour on a clean work surface and transfer the gnocchi dough onto it. Divide the dough into pieces and roll each one into a long “snake” about 1.5 cm in diameter.
4. Cut the dough “snake” into pieces about 2 cm long to form the gnocchi.
5. Roll each gnocco on the back of a fork or on a special gnocchi board to give them the traditional ridged shape that will help hold the sauce.
6. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi in boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until they float to the surface, indicating they are ready.
7. Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a pan with the chosen sauce.
8. Sauté the gnocchi in the sauce for a minute or two, then serve hot.

Remember that ricotta gnocchi can be served with a variety of sauces, such as classic tomato and basil sauce, a butter and sage dressing, or simply with additional Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.

Fun Facts

This dish showcases the versatility of ricotta, a fresh Italian cheese. Originally considered a poor man’s dish, as it was a way to use up leftover ricotta, today ricotta gnocchi are highly valued for their lightness and delicate flavor, offering a softer and fluffier alternative to potato gnocchi.