Goat Cheese Gnocchi Ragu Recipes

GOAT CHEESE GNOCCHI WITH BACON, DATES AND KENTUCKY WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the goat cheese, ricotta and eggs in a large bowl and mix until smooth and homogenous. Add 1/2 cup of flour and stir until combined. Being careful not to overwork the dough, add more flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the dough is smooth and supple (not sticky). If you add too much flour or stir too much you will have very dense little gnocchi and this is not what you want. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile put on a large pot of water to boil.
• On a lightly dusted surface, press and shape the dough into an 8-by-14-by-1/2-inch rectangle. With a floured sharp knife, cut the rectangle into 1-by-1/2-inch pieces. Using a fork on a dusted surface, shape the gnocchi by pressing a piece of the dough into the back of the fork slightly to create ridges, then roll it down the fork toward the work surface to form it into a dumpling. If the dough begins to stick, flour the fork and your fingers. Place the finished gnocchi on a floured cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• When the water comes to a boil, prepare an ice bath. Season the boiling water with salt. Cooking in batches, place the gnocchi in the water with a slotted spoon and give them a quick stir to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook until all the gnocchi rise to the surface, then cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes to cook through--the timing will depend on how long they take to rise, about 4 minutes total. Immediately remove the gnocchi with the slotted spoon and put in the ice bath to stop the cooking. When they are cool, drain. They are now ready to be sauteed. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi.
• Heat a nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp (the fat will start to foam when this happens). Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon. Add the gnocchi to the pan and sear in the warm bacon fat, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the gnocchi to a plate. Add the dates to the pan. Whisk in the wine and vegetable stock and simmer until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the butter. Add the gnocchi, bacon and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the parsley and toss to combine. Serve on a platter and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.

GOAT CHEESE GNOCCHI WITH CARAMELIZED ONION AND THYME

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine goat cheese, eggs and a generous pinch of salt. Beat with a stiff whisk until mixture is smooth. Begin by adding 1/2 cup of flour, and gently kneading in. Continue adding flour a tablespoon at a time, up to a full cup, until there is the first sign of a malleable nonsticky mass of dough. Do not add too much flour or overknead; dough should be soft, airy and very light. Cover dough, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• While dough is being chilled, prepare caramelized onions. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Add onions and stir until coated. Allow to cook gently, stirring occasionally, until onions are very soft and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside at room temperature.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Set aside a large bowl of ice water. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle 1/2 inch thick. Using a long knife, cut into 1/2-inch-by-1-inch pieces. To shape gnocchi, dust each piece with flour and roll on the back of a fork to make a rounded oblong lightly scored by the tines of the fork. Place on a floured tray, and continue until all dough is used. Boil gnocchi immediately until they are fluffy and firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the ice water bath. As soon as gnocchi are cool, drain and set aside.
• Place a large pan over medium-low heat, and add vegetable stock, thyme and gnocchi. Sauté gently until hot, and add Plugra. When butter has melted, add spinach and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss gently. Transfer to a large serving platter, and top with a mound of the reserved caramelized onions. Serve immediately.

GOAT CHEESE GNOCCHI #RAGU

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling water over medium high until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 30-40 minutes; drain. (Be sure to not overcook as they will absorb more water as they cook.) As soon as potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and pass through a potato ricer into a large bowl (if they cool before ricing, potatoes will become gummy). Let cool.
• Mix the garlic, oregano, basil, olive oil, butter, salt, pepper with the breadcrumbs and put in the oven to slowly crisp up; about 10-12 minutes. While those are cooking take your Italian sausage and crumble into hot saute pan with oil on medium heat until crispy.
• Once the potatoes are cooled, sprinkle 1¼ cups flour and 2 teaspoon salt over potatoes. Using your hands, make a well in the center. Pour the egg into the well and stir in with a wooden spoon. Mix in goat cheese. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and gently knead, dusting with more flour as needed, until smooth but not elastic (be careful not to overwork), about 2 minutes. Divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a 24"-long rope about ½" thick. Cut into ½" pieces, dust with flour, and arrange in a single layer on a lightly floured rimmed baking sheet.
• Cook the gnocchi in a large pot of boiling salted water until they float to the surface (about a minute or two; cook to just a minute before they are fully cooked. You can also make the gnocchi ahead of time and place them in the freezer. Then take them out when it comes time to sear them off).
• Meanwhile, using a slotted spoon, gently spoon out the gnocchi and place in a hot pan with butter or oil to give them a hard sear doing different batches being careful not to crowd the pan. Heat up the Ragu sauce in another saucepan, once heated, spoon onto each plate and put the gnocchi on top. Top off gnocchi with more sauce and garnish with crispy sausage, parmesan, breadcrumbs and fresh thyme.