Ricotta Gnocchi with Salsa della Nonna
by Laura McIntosh on Mar 7, 2013
Make this ricotta gnocchi recipe with salsa della nonna for a romantic dinner. There are surprisingly few ingredients. Recipe shared by Chef Michael Chiarello on Bringing It Home with Laura McIntosh.
- Servings
- 6-8 servings as a main dish, makes 72-84 gnocchi
- Course
- Entree
Ingredients
- 3 pounds whole-milk ricotta, drained overnight
- 6 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons sea salt, preferably gray salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for sprinkling and dusting
- best-quality extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
- Salsa di Pomodoro della Nonna for serving
- grated Pecorino-Romano for sprinkling
Instructions
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Using the back of a large spoon, press the ricotta through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl.
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Add the egg yolks and sea salt and mix with a rubber spatula. Gently fold in the 3⁄4 cup flour; the less you work the dough, the lighter and more tender the gnocchi will be.
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Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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Lightly sprinkle your work surface and two baking sheets with flour.
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Pull off about a quarter of the gnocchi dough and gently roll it into a rope about 1 inch wide.
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Using a dough scraper or a sharp knife dipped in flour, cut individual dumplings from the rope into 1-inch pieces. Gently transfer each piece to a prepared baking sheet and dust with flour so it’s lightly coated. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi.
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Slide the pans into the freezer and freeze for at least 24 hours or up to 1 month. (Gnocchi have a better texture if they go right from the freezer to the pot.)
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Heat a pot of salted water (see note, at right), and, while the water heats, put the sauce on the stove over a simmering flame so it’s warm when the gnocchi are cooked.
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When the water comes to a boil, cook two dozen frozen gnocchi for 3 to 3 1⁄2 minutes, or for 30 to 45 seconds after they rise to the surface.
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Using a slotted spoon or a wire skimmer, transfer the gnocchi to a warmed plate.
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Add another two dozen gnocchi to the pot. While they cook, finish plating the batch of gnocchi you just took out of the pot.
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Spoon about a dozen gnocchi per serving onto a warmed plate. Drizzle with olive oil. Spoon a little of the warm tomato sauce on top and finish with a sprinkling of pecorino.