Ricotta Basil Gnocchi Recipes

RICOTTA-BASIL GNOCCHI

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix ricotta, 1/2 cup romano cheese, the basil, eggs, olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until well blended. Add 2 cups of the semolina and stir until evenly moistened.
• Scrape dough onto a board lightly coated with semolina and knead until it forms a smooth ball that's no longer sticky, about 20 turns, adding more semolina as needed to prevent sticking.
• Cut dough into 10 pieces. With your fingers, roll each into a 1/2-inch-thick rope. Cut ropes into 1-inch pieces and lay, slightly apart, on baking sheets lightly coated with semolina.
• In an 8- to 10-quart pan over high heat, bring 5 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Gently push gnocchi into water and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender to bite, about 10 minutes. Drain.
• Spoon marinara sauce into a bowl and mound gnocchi on top. Add more salt, romano, and pepper to taste.

CHEF JOHN'S BASIL RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Briefly blanch basil leaves in simmering water, about 20 seconds. Transfer immediately to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. Drain on towels. Place basil in bowl of a blender. Add eggs. Blend until basil is blended in and mixture achieves an even green color with flecks of basil.
• Place ricotta in a mixing bowl. Add basil/egg mixture, salt, cayenne, Parmesan cheese, and flour. Thoroughly mix together using a spatula; whisk mixture to ensure ingredient are evenly blended. Cover and refrigerate until chilled and firm, about 2 hours.
• Scoop out a small portion of dough using a teaspoon. Using a second spoon, shape into a rounded oval. Repeat until you have enough gnocchi for a batch, about 6 or so.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer. Drop shaped gnocchi in batches into pot as you form them. After a minute or so they will rise to the surface. Continue simmering until they spring back to the touch when you remove one from the water to test it, 2 to 3 more minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon to cool. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Optional step: Melt butter in a skillet until bubbling. Add cooked gnocchi and brown on each side. Serve with a dusting of grated Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of the butter from the pan.

RICOTTA BASIL GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Submerge the basil and spinach leaves in the water for ten seconds, remove and shock in ice water immediately. Remove from the ice water and squeeze very, very dry. Rough chop with a knife.
• Place the chopped greens in a food processor along with the egg and a little salt and pepper and chop until a paste forms and no large pieces remain.
• Place the paste in a bowl along with the ricotta and mix well. Check seasoning, then add the flour. Mix gently until all the flour is incorporated but be careful not to over mix.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Roll the dough into strands about ¾-inch thick and about one foot long on a well-floured cutting board. Cut with a sharp, clean knife in pieces about ¾-inch wide.
• Drop the gnocchi a few dozen at a time into the boiling salted water. After about one minute, they should float. Remove the gnocchi from the water and place on a pan and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Continue the process until all of the gnocchi are done. Keep the water hot.
• Warm a large sauté pan and melt the butter and at the same time drop the gnocchi back in the boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove the gnocchi from the water and place in the pan. Toss with the butter, adding a few tablespoons of the cooking water to the pan.
• Remove from the heat, portion into bowls or on plates and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

HOMEMADE RICOTTA GNOCCHI WITH FRESH HERBS

Steps:

• Line a plate with a clean kitchen towel or a layer of 2 to 3 paper towels. Spread the the ricotta on the towel in a thin, even layer with a rubber spatula; this will help remove any excess moisture from the ricotta. Fold the edges of the towel over the ricotta, lightly press down and set aside to drain, about 15 minutes.
• Finely chop 1/2 cup of the basil leaves and 1/2 cup of the mint leaves, reserving the remaining leaves for garnish.
• In a large bowl, mix the chopped basil and mint, drained ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, 1/4 cup of the chives, 2 teaspoons salt and a healthy crack of black pepper with a rubber spatula until smooth and well-combined. Add the flour in 4 parts (1/4 cup at a time), delicately folding with the spatula between each addition to make sure the gnocchi dough remains light and fluffy.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust with flour. Set aside.
• Dust a clean counter or cutting board with flour. Scoop the dough out of the bowl and onto the floured surface, dust with more flour and use your hands to form into a thick ball. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 12-inch-long and 1/2-inch-thick snake. Using a sharp knife or pastry cutter, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces and place on the prepared baking sheet until ready to cook.
• In a large skillet, bring the tomato sauce to a simmer over medium heat, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low to keep warm.
• Season the boiling water heavily with salt. Add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the top, 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer the gnocchi directly to the sauce using a slotted spoon or spider, add 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and delicately toss together until warmed through, taking care to not break the gnocchi.
• To plate, divide the gnocchi and sauce among 6 shallow bowls and top with Parmesan, the reserved basil and mint, the remaining 1/4 cup chives and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!

BASIL GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Make the gnocchi: Mix the instant potatoes with 1 cup hot water in a bowl using a fork; set aside until the potatoes absorb the liquid, 3 minutes. Meanwhile, puree the basil and 1/4 cup cold water in a blender until smooth. Stir the basil puree, egg, pecorino and 1 tablespoon salt into the potato mixture.
• Mound 3/4 cup flour on a surface; add the potato mixture and knead together until smooth, gradually adding the remaining 1/4 cup flour. Divide the dough into 3 portions; roll each into a 1-inch-diameter log (dust with flour, if needed). Cut each log into 1/2-inch pieces; place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate while making the sauce (or freeze up to 1 month).
• Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pine nuts; fry until toasted, swirling the pan. Transfer the nuts with a slotted spoon to paper towels and season with salt. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and cook until soft, 3 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and toss; cook until the tomatoes are just soft, 2 more minutes.
• Cook the gnocchi in a large pot of salted boiling water until tender, about 1 minute after they float to the surface. Drain and toss with the sauce. Top with the toasted pine nuts and more basil and pecorino.

RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• In a bowl, place the ricotta, grated cheese, egg, and salt; Add 1 cup of the flour and mix.
• Add only as much more flour as you need to create a workable dough. Be careful not to overwork.
• Divide the dough into fist size pieces, and roll into long logs as thick as your thumb; Cut into 1 inch slices and gently place on a lightly floured baking sheet. Continue with the rest of the dough in this manner; If not using immediately, place in the refrigerator.
• To prepare the sauce, heat the oil in a sauce pan and add the garlic cooking only until fragrant - Do not brown; Add the tomatoes, basil, and seasonings and bring to a boil; Turn down to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.
• To cook the gnocchi, drop into lightly salted water and remove as soon as they float to the top, after 1 or 2 minutes. Place in a warmed bowl, top with some of the tomato sauce and the mozzarella cubes and gently mix; Serve with additional sauce if desired.
• Tip - dry the ingredients as much as you can before using, let your ricotta drain of excess water by placing it in a strainer over a bowl and leaving it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using; this will aid in the ease of preperation of ginocchi.

RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Stir together the ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan Cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl until evenly combined. Mix in 1 cup of flour. Add additional flour if needed to form a soft dough.
• Divide the dough into 3 or 4 pieces, and roll into 1/2-inch-thick ropes on a floured surface. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces, and place on a lightly floured baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, and cook until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in diced tomatoes and red pepper flakes; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in shredded basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• While sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Boil the gnocchi until they float to the surface, 1 to 2 minutes, then drain.
• To assemble the dish, stir the cubed mozzarella cheese into the sauce and allow the heat of the sauce to soften, but not melt the cheese. Place gnocchi into a serving bowl, and spoon sauce overtop.