Ricotta Gnocchi With Spring Herb Pesto Food

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!

EASY RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust with flour.
• Beat the eggs with 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper in a small bowl. Put the ricotta in a large bowl and whisk in the eggs with a fork until smooth. With a wooden spoon, stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Stir in 3/4 cup of the flour; the dough should be slightly sticky but hold its shape, if not, add flour a tablespoon at a time, but not more than 1 cup in all.
• Turn the dough onto a floured countertop and knead just to bring it together. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll one piece into a 1-inch-thick log and cut into 3/4-inch-long nuggets. Press the tops lightly with the tines of a fork. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• To finish the gnocchi, melt the butter in a large skillet (use up to 8 tablespoons if you want your pasta saucy).
• Add the gnocchi to the boiling water - you may need to do this in batches. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water to the butter and let simmer while you cook the gnocchi.
• Once they float, cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Gently remove with a spider or strainer to the skillet with the sauce. Toss the gnocchi to coat in the sauce. Sprinkle with the parsley and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir gently to combine.

RICOTTA GNOCCHI WITH LEMON BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• 1. In a large bowl, whip the ricotta to break up the curds. Add the egg and stir until evenly combined.
• 2. Add flour and mix well.
• 3. Roll into snake, cut into 1/2 inch piece and make an indentation with your thumb into each gnocchi.
• 4. Dust with corn meal.
• 5. Place in boiling water when they rise to the top they are done.
• 6. MAKE PESTO BEFORE COOKING GNOCCHI!! Place lemon in food processor and process till finely chopped.
• 7. Add basil, pine nuts and garlic blend.
• 8. Add cheese and drizzle olive oil in as processing.
• 9. In a medium hot saute pan add 2-3 tablespoons of oil and 4-5 strips of lemon zest
• 10. Add drained gnocchi to saute pan add prepared lemon pesto toss add some parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

RICOTTA GNOCCHI WITH PESTO CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and refrigerate until the 'dough' holds the shape of a ball when rolled between your hands, at least 1 hour.
• On a lightly floured surface roll the dough into long strips and pinch off 1-inch pieces (the same size as regular gnocchi). Work fast or your dough will start to become super tough to work with! Put the gnocchi on a plate and put back into the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
• While the gnocchi is resting, make the pesto sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a blender and pulsing until combined. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over medium heat on the stovetop. Drop in the gnocchi, a few at a time, and watch for them to rise to the surface of the pot. After 1 minute at the top of the pot, about 3 minutes total, remove them with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl. Top with the pesto cream sauce and a dash of cracked pepper and serve.

RICOTTA GNOCCHI WITH PARSLEY PESTO

Steps:

• Put ricotta in a large mixing bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Whisk in Parmesan and taste. The mixture should be well seasoned. Add eggs and mix well, then sprinkle in 1/4 cup flour and stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate. You should have a soft, rather sticky dough. Dump dough onto a clean work surface. Add a little more flour if necessary and pat very lightly to form a soft mass.
• Test the dough: Bring a saucepan of well-salted water to a boil. Take 1 tablespoon of dough and drop into water. Dough should sink to the bottom, then rise to the surface. Let simmer 1 minute, then remove and taste. If the dumpling keeps its shape, continue to Step 3. If it falls apart, add a little more flour to the dough, but carefully: If you add too much, the gnocchi will be stodgy.
• Dust dough lightly with semolina, then cut it into 4 equal parts. Dust work surface with semolina. With your hands flat, gently roll each piece into a rope about 3/4-inch in diameter and 12 inches long. Keep sprinkling semolina on dough to keep it from sticking to the counter or your hands.
• Using scissors or a sharp, thin-bladed knife, cut each log into 12 pieces. Dust bottom of a baking sheet with semolina. Transfer gnocchi with a spatula to baking sheet, leaving space between them so they are not touching. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 1 hour (or leave in a cool room).
• To make the parsley pesto, put parsley, garlic, olive oil and butter in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse briefly, then blend to a rough purée. Taste and season with salt and pepper. You should have about 1 cup pesto, more than you need for this recipe. Leftover pesto can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to a month.
• Place a large pot of well-salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add gnocchi, working in batches, if necessary. When they bob to the surface, let them cook for about 2 minutes and lift them from the pot with a slotted spoon or spider, transferring gnocchi to a large, wide skillet. Add 4 to 6 tablespoons pesto and 1/2 cup pasta cooking water to skillet and swirl pan to coat gnocchi.
• Serve gnocchi in warmed individual shallow soup bowls or a deep, wide platter. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and dust with Parmesan. Pass more grated Parmesan separately.

GNOCCHI WITH HERB PESTO

Steps:

• Bring the salted water to a boil and then add gnocchi. Cook gnocchi, stirring gently until tender, about 1 minute after they rise to the surface of the pot.
• Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, bring the stock and butter to a boil over medium heat. Add the beans and pesto and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat.
• Remove gnocchi from the water and add to the skillet. Heat through until coated with the sauce. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese. Serve immediately.
• Wash the herb leaves in cool water and dry them thoroughly, preferably in a salad spinner. Combine the herbs and garlic in a blender and blend on low speed, slowly adding the oil while the machine is running, until the pesto is smooth and all the oil is incorporated. Add salt to taste.
• Keep in a sealed jar in the refrigerator and use as needed. Pesto will keep for up to 4 weeks or it may be frozen for up to 3 months.
• Yield: 1 1/2 cups

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.

ARUGULA PESTO WITH HERBED RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• 1. Make the pesto: With the motor running, drop the garlic through the feed tube of a food processor to mince. Add the pine nuts, arugula, spinach, and Parmesan and pulse until the greens are finely chopped. With the motor running, gradually add the oil to make a thick paste. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. (The pesto can be made up to 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature.)
• 2. Make the gnocchi: Place the semolina, chives, sage, chervil, fennel, salt, nutmeg, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Transfer to a medium bowl and, with your hands, blend in the ricotta. Flour your hands and knead the dough in the bowl until all the ingredients cling together. The dough will be sticky, but do not add more flour or the gnocchi will be heavy.
• 3. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and dust with flour. Place about 1/3 cup of dough at a time on a lightly floured work surface and roll it underneath your palms to make a 1/2-inch-thick rope. Cut the rope into 3/4-inch-long pieces. Using the tines of a fork, press an indentation into each piece and place the gnocchi on the baking sheet. Repeat until all the dough is used.
• 4. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook until they rise to the surface. Boil for 30 seconds, until the gnocchi are set but tender. Drain well. (The gnocchi can be made up to 4 hours ahead, rinsed under cold water and drained well.) Toss the gnocchi with olive oil and store at room temperature. To reheat, cook in a large nonstick skillet over low heat, or drop into boiling water to warm. Toss the hot gnocchi with the pesto, garnish with marigolds, and serve immediately.

SPINACH & RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Boil the kettle. Place the spinach in a large bowl and pour boiling water over it. Leave for 2 mins until wilted, then drain thoroughly. Leave to cool, then wrap a clean tea towel around the spinach. Hold it over the sink and squeeze out as much water as possible. Finely chop.
• Place the spinach, parsley, garlic, ricotta, flour, eggs, cheese and a generous grating of nutmeg into a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Use a fork to stir very thoroughly until everything is completely mixed. Using wet hands, form the mixture into walnut-size balls. Place on a large plate or tray and refrigerate for at least 30 mins.
• When ready to cook, heat the oven to warm and bring a large pan of water to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium and drop in batches of about 8-10 gnocchi at a time. They will sink to the bottom, and when they rise to the top give them about 1 min more, then remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm while you cook the rest. Serve the gnocchi on warm plates drizzled with olive oil and scattered with rocket and more cheese.

RICOTTA CHEESE GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Combine the ricotta, eggs and Parmesan in a large bowl, along with some salt and pepper. Add about 1/2 cup flour and stir; add more flour until the mixture forms a very sticky dough. Scoop up a spoonful of dough and boil it to make sure it will hold its shape; if it does not, stir in a bit more flour.
• Put the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When it melts and turns a nutty brown color, add the sage. While it fries, drop the ricotta mixture by the rounded tablespoon into the boiling water, working in batches of six or so at a time so as not to overload the pot.
• When the gnocchi rise to the surface, remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the skillet. When all the gnocchi are done, toss, taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve immediately.

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.

RICOTTA GNOCCHI WITH SPRING HERB PESTO

Steps:

• For the gnocchi: In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add just enough flour to make a soft dough that will not stick to your floured hands, about 1/2 cup. Divide the dough into four equal pieces. On a lightly floured board, with floured hands, roll each piece into a 3/4-inch-thick rope, 14 to 15 inches long, then cut each rope into 1-inch pieces. Place the gnocchi on a lightly floured tray and refrigerate for 2 hours to allow the flour to hydrate and the gluten to relax.
• For the pesto: In a food processor, combine the parsley, chives, mint, pine nuts, and salt and process to a paste. With the motor running, gradually add the olive oil through the feed tube, processing until nearly smooth. Transfer to a bowl and add pepper to taste.
• Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil over high heat. Add the gnocchi and lower the heat to maintain a bare simmer. Cook until the gnocchi float to the top, about 1 minute, then cook for 1 minute longer.
• Whisk a little of the hot pasta water into the pesto to thin it to a sauce consistency. Lift the gnocchi out of the pot with a skimmer or strainer and transfer to a warmed serving bowl. Add the pesto and toss to coat evenly. Serve immediately.
• Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Chardonnay or another full-bodied white wine.