Potato Ricotta Gnocchi Recipes

EASY HOMEMADE RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Combine the gnocchi ingredients in a bowl except the flour.
• Use a rubber spatula to mix until the egg is partially mixed into the ricotta. Then add 3/4 cup of flour and mix until just combined so it is a sticky very soft dough, but not like batter. Use the remaining flour, 1 tbsp at a time to get the dough consistency right. I find 3/4 cup is enough. (Note 3)
• Turn it out on a work surface lightly dusted with flour, sprinkle a tiny bit of flour on top then pat it down to a disc about 1"/2.5cm thick. Cut it into 8 pieces.
• Roll a piece into a log about 3/5" / 1.5 cm in diameter and about 10"/25cm long. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Line 4 logs up, then cut them into 3/5" / 1.5cm pieces. Repeat with remaining 4 logs. (Note 4)
• Bring a large pot of water to boil. Tumble the gnocchi in and cook for around 2 1/2 minutes, or until the gnocchi is floating on the surface for around 30 seconds.
• Reserve 1 mug of cooking water. Then drain and add the gnocchi into the frypan with your sauce of choice (you only need one of them, not both). Follow the instructions below.
• Melt the butter in a large fry pan over medium high heat. Let it bubble until it turns brown. Add the salt and pepper. If the gnocchi isn't ready yet, remove from the stove until ready.
• Pour the cooked gnocchi into the fry pan along with 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water. Gently stir, coating the gnocchi in the melted butter, cooking for 1 minute. This is the step when the butter and starch in the water emulsify so the sauce coats each piece of gnocchi.
• Do a taste test and add more salt if required. Serve immediately.
• Heat the olive oil over medium high heat.
• Add the garlic and onion. Sauce for 3 to 5 minutes until the onion is translucent.
• Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 10 minutes. Do a taste test and adjust saltiness to taste.
• Add the gnocchi and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water. Cook for 1 minute, stirring gently. The olive oil and starch in the water will emulsify to thicken the sauce so it clings to the gnocchi better.
• Serve immediately as the gnocchi will start to harden after about 15 minutes as it cools. You can reheat in the microwave to soften.
• Garnish with freshly grated parmesan and parsley, if desired.

POTATO-RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Prick potatoes all over with a fork (for even cooking, choose spuds that are all about the same size). Place on center rack and roast until soft and easily pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. (Roasting instead of boiling prevents too much moisture in the dough.) When cool enough to handle but still warm, halve and scoop out insides, discarding skins.
• Pass through a ricer or food mill onto a baking sheet (this produces a lighter consistency than a masher or fork can); you should have about 2 1/2 cups. Let cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Using your hands, mound potatoes on sheet; make a well in center and add ricotta. Sprinkle everything with salt, nutmeg, and flour. Working from outside edges in, use a fork or your fingers to incorporate flour and ricotta into potatoes to form a dough. Knead, adding more flour if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough is soft, smooth, and slightly tacky (but no longer sticky), about 2 minutes.
• To test dough, pinch a small piece off and roll it into a rope; if it doesn't hold together, knead a few more times. Transfer to a clean work surface and divide into 6 pieces. Roll each into a rope about 3/4 inch thick. Lightly dust ropes with flour, to prevent sticking when cutting. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut each rope crosswise into 1/2-inch "pillows." Transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet.
• Heat tomato sauce in a large skillet over medium-low. Meanwhile, cook gnocchi in a large pot of generously salted boiling water until they puff up and float to top, about 2 minutes. Cook 1 minute more, then use a spider or large slotted spoon to transfer directly to skillet.
• Simmer, gently tossing a few times, until sauce evenly clings to gnocchi, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat; toss with Parmigiano-Reggiano and a few spoonfuls of pasta water (for silkiness). Season to taste and serve, topped with more Parmigiano and basil.

20-MINUTE RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Bring a large stockpot of generously-salted water to a boil over high heat.
• While your water is heating, place 3-4 paper towels on a large plate and spread the ricotta on the paper towels in an even layer. Place another layer of 3-4 paper towels on top of the ricotta. Then press down gently to let the excess moisture soak into the paper towels, trying to soak up as much of the excess liquid as possible. Transfer the ricotta to a large mixing bowl. (If it sticks to the paper towels, just use a rubber spatula to scrape it off.) The drained ricotta should now weigh about 12 ounces.
• Add the egg yolks to the ricotta and stir briefly to combine. Add in the flour, Parmesan, salt and pepper, and stir until evenly combined. Avoid over-mixing. The dough will be a bit moist and maybe a bit sticky, but it should be holding together well. If it feels too wet, just add in another few tablespoons of flour.
• Shape the dough into a round disk with your hands, then transfer it to a lightly-floured cutting board and sprinkle the dough with lightly with flour. Using a knife or a bench scraper, cut the dough into eight even pie wedges. Using your hands, gently roll out each wedge out into an even log, approximately 3/4-inch wide. Cut each log into individual bite-sized little gnocchi squares. Lightly dust the gnocchi with flour once more and give them a quick toss so that they are all lightly coated with flour. (This will help prevent them from sticking together.)
• Carefully transfer the gnocchi to the boiling water to cook. Then once they float - usually after 30 seconds or so - drain the gnocchi.
• Serve immediately, tossed with your favorite sauce and whatever other ingredients sound good!

RICOTTA CHEESE GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Combine the ricotta, eggs and Parmesan in a large bowl, along with some salt and pepper. Add about 1/2 cup flour and stir; add more flour until the mixture forms a very sticky dough. Scoop up a spoonful of dough and boil it to make sure it will hold its shape; if it does not, stir in a bit more flour.
• Put the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When it melts and turns a nutty brown color, add the sage. While it fries, drop the ricotta mixture by the rounded tablespoon into the boiling water, working in batches of six or so at a time so as not to overload the pot.
• When the gnocchi rise to the surface, remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the skillet. When all the gnocchi are done, toss, taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve immediately.

POTATO-RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F
• Bake the potatoes for an hour until they are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Cool for a couple hours, remove insides with a spoon, and mash them, using a potato ricer or a fork, until they are very smooth.
• Place the potatoes in a bowl and add the nutmeg, salt, a pinch of pepper, the egg yolk, and the ricotta. Mix together to combine and let rest overnight in the refrigerator, uncovered.
• The next day, spread the semolina flour in an even layer on a baking sheet or tray.
• Then place the potato mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer and, using the paddle attachment, add the flour on low-medium speed. Once the mixture has come together, remove it from the bowl and cut into fist-size balls.
• Roll each ball in the palms of your hands and then form it into a cigar shape. Cut each of these tubes into 1-inch pieces. Place them on the bed of semolina flour and put the tray into the refrigerator for 10-20 minutes to set.
• To cook, drop the gnocchi into salted boiling water. When the first few rise to the top of the pot, remove all the gnocchi with a slotted spoon.