29, September 2021

The Currant Shed - Ricotta Gnocchi

This month’s recipe is courtesy of the culinary team at The Currant Shed. Delightfully light pillows of Ricotta Gnocchi, a great alternative to traditional potato gnocchi. Top with your favourite pasta sauce and you have the perfect dish to serve at a spring soiree.

INGREDIENTS

• 500g smooth ricotta
• 1 x egg yolk
• ~100g plain flour (but only use what is needed)
• Parmesan (either freshly grated or powdered), to your taste
• Salt
• Oil

METHOD

1. Set a large pot of water on the stove and bring to the boil.
2. Place the ricotta, egg yolk, parmesan (to your taste) and a pinch of salt into a large bowl and mix thoroughly with a spoon until well combined.
3. Begin adding flour, bit by bit, mixing well between additions. You may not need to use the whole amount of flour, as the amount you need will depend on the consistency of the ricotta brand you buy. You can mix the flour in initially with a spoon, but as the dough comes together, it is best to switch and use your hands so you can feel the texture.
4. The dough will start out a little sticky, but continue to add small amounts of additional flour to the dough to ensure the stickiness lessens and the dough firms up a bit (be careful not to add too much flour, as the gnocchi will end up dry).
5. Once a fluffy, non-sticky consistency is reached, roughly split the dough into two or three portions.
6. Sprinkle a layer of flour onto your bench or board. Take the first portion of dough and roll it out into a log, approximately 1.5-2cm thick. Cut your log into 2cm pieces and place them onto a tray or plate. Repeat this process with the remaining dough.
7. Season the boiling water well with salt and add the gnocchi to the boiling water. If you are making a large batch, you may need to do this in smaller lots so as not to lower the heat of the water too much, and to avoid the pieces sticking together.
8. Very gently stir the gnocchi through the water so that they do not stick together.
9. The gnocchi pillows will slowly rise to the surface. Once this occurs, allow them to boil for approximately one minute to cook through. Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon, or into a colander and allow as much water as possible to drain.
10. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan. Add the gnocchi and pan fry until it begins to get a lovely brown colour and becomes a little crispy on the outside. Remove from heat and serve directly into bowls. Top with your favourite pasta sauce, or simply sprinkle with a little more salt and a bit more parmesan and enjoy as is!

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