20 Minute Ricotta Gnocchi Recipes

RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan, olive oil, eggs and 1 teaspoon salt with a whisk in a large mixing bowl. Add the all-purpose flour in 3 parts, stirring with a rubber spatula.
• Bring the dough together in a ball and cut off one-quarter of it. Dust the work surface with all-purpose flour to prevent sticking, and roll the cut-off piece of dough into a dowel shape about 5/8 inch in diameter. Cut the dowel into 5/8-inch pieces. Dust some parchment paper with semolina flour and place the gnocchi on it to prevent sticking. Repeat with the rest of the dough, quarter by quarter.
• Cook the gnocchi in the boiling water for 2 minutes. Serve tossed with a bit of the Pancetta Tomato Sauce. Alternatively, you can freeze the uncooked gnocchi for up to 2 weeks.
• Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta from the pan and reserve, leaving the fat behind.
• Add the diced onions to the hot pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the crushed tomatoes, cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, then remove the lid, add the reserved pancetta and cook an additional 10 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, stir in the basil and serve.

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!

15 MINUTE RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Drain any liquid from the ricotta container. Combine the cheese in a large bowl with egg yolk, salt and grated cheese, mixing well to combine. Add flour and stir just until combined; it should still be quite sticky. The more flour you add, the denser the gnocchi will be, and you are aiming for light, fluffy pillows!
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, flour the board heavily. Scoop a large spoonful of dough onto the board and flour the top heavily. Flour your hands and roll the dough into a log about the width of one finger. Dip a sharp knife into flour, and cut into pieces the size of the last joint of your thumb (about 3/4"). Transfer to a parchment-lined, flour-dusted baking sheet. Repeat until all the gnocchi are formed. Work quickly so they don't get soggy and stick.
• Turn the heat down under the pot until the water bubbles gently. Add the gnocchi and stir once so they don't stick to the bottom. Cook until the float to the surface, 2-4 minutes. Remove with a skimmer or spider and serve at once with a light tomato sauce, browned butter with sage, or any kind of pesto.