Ricotta Gnocchi

Many of you are familiar with the standard potato gnocchi on many restaurant menus; but there is another version and it is made with whole milk ricotta. I like the taste of the ricotta gnocchi much better because after you have eaten a plate, it doesn’t feel as if you have eaten lead like the very filling potato gnocchi makes you feel.

You know the feeling, you feel like a beached whale and can’t move for several hours.

Well, I was cooking and needed some background noise in the kitchen, so I turned on the Food Network (always need some inspiration). Anyway, there was a show on that I have never heard of before called “The Kitchen” hosted by a variety of Food Network chefs.

One of the chefs was Geoffrey Zacharian and he mentioned “ricotta gnocchi”. Immediately my ears perked up, so I stopped what I was doing to watch his version of this dish.

My biggest shock was how quick this recipe was. He made the dough and it didn’t need to rest, (so far so good). He topped it with a pancetta tomato sauce (very easy also). I was hooked.

I quickly wrote down all the ingredients and realized that I had all the ingredients in my refrigerator and pantry, so I decided I was going to give it a try. It was fabulous!

So fabulous that I have to pass this recipe on to my DishingwithDiane.com members. Sometimes you just find a recipe that is just too good to be true.

Bob loved it and told me that my grandmother would have been proud. I would like to think so, she was an excellent cook.

If you need to see the video for this recipe just go online to Food Network and search Geoffrey Zacharian- ricotta gnocchi. I guarantee you, you will not be disappointed.

Have fun cooking; and if you make this recipe, let me know what you think.

Until my next post, stay well and make every day a celebration!

Diane

Ricotta Gnocchi

Recipe courtesy of Geoffrey Zakarian

Photo courtesy of Me

Total Time :55 min Prep:10 min Cook time 45 min
Yield:4 to 6 servings Level: easy

Ingredients

Kosher salt
2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large eggs
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Semolina flour, for dusting
Pancetta Tomato Sauce, recipe follows, for serving

Directions

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.

Pancetta Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

6 ounces thick-cut pancetta (about 3 1/4-inch slices), diced
1/2 cup diced onions
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
One 28-ounce can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
5 fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade

Directions:

Heat a large sauté 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.

Thank you Mr. Zacharian