Ricotta Gnocchi

Another easy dinner you can make from scratch in about an hour. Why not make your own instead of buying the pre-made kind? I don’t bother to create the traditional fork ridge pattern on my gnocchi, I just leave them plain jane and give them a quick sautee. This one is sure to satisfy your wintery dinner cravings, and I promise it’s as easy as it sounds.

Ricotti Gnocchi:                 serves 3 full, or 4-5 appetizer

150 g                        all purpose flour

1/2 tsp                      salt

1/4 tsp                      black pepper

1/4 tsp                      chili flakes

1/4 tsp                      za’atar spice (or combo of dried thyme + oregano)

500 g                        ricotta cheese

1                                large egg

-Whisk the spices into the flour, then break up the ricotta cheese into pieces and drop it around the surface of the flour, either in a large mixing bowl or on a floured work surface/counter top.

-Whisk the egg to break it up, then plop it into the center of the flour/cheese mound. Begin working all of the components into a rough dough gently with your hands, pulling in the edges and squeezing the ingredients together.

-Work this dough just enough so that it holds together in a rough mass, you don’t want to overwork it to a smooth elastic texture: this will make the dough tough and chewy.

-Wrap the dough with plastic and allow to rest in the fridge for half an hour minimum.

-Make the tomato sauce while the dough is resting.

Cherry Tomato Sauce:

900-1000 g                    cherry tomatoes

1                                     large shallot, minced

1 clove                            garlic, minced

splash                            olive oil

1 tsp                               salt

1/4 tsp                            black pepper

1/4 tsp                            chili flakes

1/2 to 1 tsp                     dried oregano, thyme, or za’atar spice

-Drizzle the olive oil into a large sauce pot, turn to medium-high heat.

-Drop in the cherry tomatoes, garlic and shallot, and allow to sizzle and bubble until splattering and busting open. You want to get a nice sautee going, if the tomato skins start to color a bit this is good.

-Once the tomatoes have burst open and released some of their juices: add the spices and turn the heat to medium. Take a fork or pair or scissors to the remaining tomatoes that haven’t broken up into pieces, and ensure everything is mashed up nicely.

-Continue cooking over medium heat until thickened to your liking. Taste the sauce and season with more salt and pepper if needed, set aside until the gnocchi are cooked.

 

 

To Cook the Gnocchi:

-Bring a large pot of water to a boil with some salt and small splash of oil added. Once the water has come to a boil place a sautee pan over medium-high heat with a small amount of olive oil and a dollop of butter, allow to heat while you move on to the next step.

-Gently drop the gnocchi into the boiling water (slotted spoon is best for less splashing) and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the gnocchi have floated to the top and remained there for 30-60 seconds.

-Quickly drain the gnocchi, shaking off excess water, and slide into the hot pan with the sizzling olive oil and butter. If the butter and oil has browned slightly in the pan before you got your gnocchi in there: don’t fret. This browned butter will only add to the depth of flavor for your dish, it’s even better.

-Sautee the gnocchi until they begin to show a little crispness and color around the edges, then toss into bowls and top with the cherry tomato sauce.

-Serve right away. Keep extra gnocchi in the fridge for 48 hours to boil later, or lay out on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and freeze, then toss into ziplock bags for safe keeping up to 30 days. Allow to thaw completely before boiling.