Gnocchi di Ricotta (Ricotta Gnocchi)

a bowl of ricotta gnocchi topped with cheese and basil.

5 from 1 vote

Gnocchi di ricotta (ricotta gnocchi), made from scratch in 30 minutes - no potatoes required! Soft, pillowy dumplings made with smooth ricotta cheese, flour, fresh parmesan and a hint of lemon, served in a rich tomato sauce. Comfort food at its best.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 582kcal

Author: Andrea Geddes

Ingredients

For the tomato pasta sauce

¼ cup olive oil
4-5 garlic cloves finely chopped
3 cups canned tomatoes crushed
salt and pepper
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice

For the gnocchi

375 grams smooth ricotta 1 ½ cups (measure accurately). Use a tub of smooth ricotta from the supermarket.
1 egg
1 extra egg yolk
¾ cup Parmesan or pecorino cheese freshly grated and firmly packed
¼ teaspoon nutmeg ground.
salt and pepper
pinch lemon zest
210 grams 00 flour 1 ½ cups when fluffed and levelled. Plus extra flour for rolling and coating.

To serve

fresh parmesan or pecorino cheese grated
basil leaves

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

For the tomato sauce

Place the olive oil and garlic into a large frying pan and cook over very low heat until the garlic softens and becomes fragrant. Keep an eye on it to prevent burning or turning brown.
Add the canned tomatoes, salt and pepper, basil leaves and lemon juice and simmer over low heat for five minutes, or until the sauce reduces slightly.
Keep the sauce on low heat while you prepare the gnocchi, or set aside and quickly reheat when ready to serve.

For the gnocchi

Place the ricotta, egg, yolk, parmesan, nutmeg, lemon zest and salt and pepper into a mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
Add the flour to the mixture and stir until just combined. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky, but not stick to your hands. A little more flour can be added (if needed), but only add a little at a time.
Place the dough onto a lightly floured board and shape it into a round disk.
Cut the dough into four even portions and use your fingers to roll each dough portion into a rope shape.
Using a knife, cut the rolled dough into small, bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle with a little extra flour to prevent the pieces from sticking together.
Place the gnocchi into a large pot of boiling, salted water. The gnocchi will start to float to the top when it is ready (around 1-2 minutes). Test a piece of gnocchi by removing it from the water. If it is soft and cooked through, it is ready!
Remove from the heat and gently drain. Serve immediately topped with the tomato sauce or your sauce of choice, additional parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves.

Notes

Ricotta – Use regular, full-fat smooth ricotta found in tubs in the supermarket. There is no need to use fresh ricotta, as it will be too watery. I used Woolworths smooth ricotta cheese (full fat). * The moisture content of ricotta will vary from brand to brand. See notes below regarding additional flour.
Flour – use ‘00’ bread/pasta flour to make it light and fluffy, or swap for plain (all-purpose) flour if that’s what you have on hand. I recommend using a kitchen scale to accurately measure the ingredients, for best results.
It is important to measure your ingredients accurately. The amount of flour required will depend on the amount of moisture in your ricotta. The less moisture, the less flour you will need. Start with 1 ½ cups (210 grams) and check the dough. It should be soft, without being too sticky. Add a little more flour if needed, but only use as much as you need to bind the dough.
Don’t overwork the dough. Overworked dough or too much flour will make the gnocchi hard and tough. Use a spoon to mix the dough until just combined before shaping, rolling and cutting the dough.
Use the gnocchi recipe as a base and coat it in your favourite sauce! While I have included a simple tomato sauce recipe below, it is completely adaptable. Try tossing the cooked gnocchi through some brown butter and sage leaves, basil pesto or a cream-based sauce with loads of parmesan if you prefer.
Fry your gnocchi if you’d like them a bit crispier. Cook and drain the gnocchi as normal. Then, place them into a hot pan with a little oil or butter for a few minutes until crispy and golden.
Make ahead; The gnocchi can be made ahead and stored on a flat, floured tray in the fridge for a few hours, before cooking. Uncooked gnocchi can also be frozen, ready to add to a pot of salted, boiling water. The cooking time will increase if the gnocchi is chilled or frozen.
Freezing; To freeze, place the individual gnocchi pieces on a baking tray lined with paper and a little flour. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and place the baking tray into your freezer and wait until the gnocchi is hard (around 1 hour). Then, add the gnocchi into freezer-safe bags or airtight containers. Allowing them to partially freeze on the trays first will stop them from sticking together. Freeze for 2-3 months. When you’re ready to cook, place the frozen gnocchi into boiling water and cook until they float to the top.
Please note that the nutrition information is based on the gnocchi and tomato sauce being divided into 4 individual bowls, with one bowl being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings, sides or sauces served with the gnocchi.
This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.

Nutrition