Ricotta Gnocchi
Italians are known to have the best of dishes in their cuisine which have great taste and high appeal, especially when it comes to having parties where you need mouth-savouring dishes in order to please your guests. Ricotta Gnocchi is one such dish which is not only easy to cook, but it can be mixed up with a variety of other dishes, sauces etc. to come out in different forms. This means, that not only can you have the dish being served as a starter of an appetizer, but you can also have it as a main course dish.
Northern Italy is famous for a dish called Potato Gnocchi, and Ricotta Gnocchi is a lighter cousin of it. It comes out as a soft, easily chewable, and almost similar to the Chinese dumplings. Mixing it up with simple tomato sauce is the best way to enjoy Ricotta Gnocchi. However, depending on how elaborate you want the dish to be, or whether you want it for starters or for main course, you can mix it up with other things too.
One rule about Ricotta Gnocchi is that it should be served as and when it is cooked. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the sauce is ready by the time the gnocchi is ready. One way to do it is that you prepare the dough and the sauce simultaneously; or if the sauce is not a very elaborate one and can be cooked quickly then you can prepare it while the dough is resting. Keeping the gnocchi in the refrigerator for around 15 minutes is a good idea, as you can easily do the shaping of the dough after that.
For cooking a very simple and easy form of Ricotta Gnocchi, you would need around 1 pack of whole-milk ricotta, 1-2 eggs, Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, salt and flour. First, let the cheese drain off from the ricotta for about half an hour. You can do this activity some days in advance too. Next, mix the ricotta with egg, cheese and flour. Mix it well and refrigerate for around 15 minutes.
Once you take out the mixture, it will be slightly firm. Roll the dough in your hand and make sure that you have a decent consistency. Add more flour if needed. The idea is to make the dough workable enough to cut it out in pieces later. After you have achieved a good consistency, refrigerate again for 15 minutes.
Next comes the shaping stage, but before you start with it, make sure you have put a pan of water for boiling. Make a baking sheet ready by sprinkling flour, and out flour on the work surface as well on your hands to avoid excessive stickiness.
Make thick logs out of the dough, and then cut them with a knife. You can have two kinds of shapes – either leave them cut as small “pillows” role them form the back and the front by pressing with your thumb in order to get the traditional gnocchi shape.
Once the water is boiled, add salt to it, and then add the gnocchi. You will have to do this in lots in order to prevent the gnocchi pieces from sticking to each other. Once they come up to the surface, let them cook for about 2-3 more minutes. Then strain them and toss them with the sauce in a pan. You can add vegetables, spices and other ingredients too if you desire. Once you have the basic gnocchi ready, you can customise it in any manner you want in order to make a dish out of it.
- Ronit Baugh
Tags: cooking ricotta gnocchi, gnocchi cooking, homemade ricotta gnocchi, ricotta gnocchi recipe
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