Ricotta gnocchi with parsley pesto is a delightful Italian dish that combines the soft, pillowy texture of gnocchi with the vibrant and herbaceous flavor of parsley pesto. This dish is a perfect balance of flavors and textures, making it a popular choice for both home cooks and restaurant-goers. With a few simple ingredients and easy-to-follow steps, you can create a delicious and memorable meal that will impress your family and friends.
Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!
RICOTTA GNOCCHI WITH PARSLEY PESTO
Gnocchi are little savory Italian dumplings, most often served as a pasta course. They are often made from a dough of potato, egg and flour, but there are many kinds. Some are made with cooked semolina, such as gnocchi alla romana, which are baked with cream and cheese. Fresh ricotta is the secret for these exceedingly light, airy dumplings. Bound with eggs and only a handful of flour, they can be served in broth, with a light tomato sauce, tossed with butter and sage leaves, or with a simple green pesto. Look for the best fresh ricotta: The low-fat commercial type doesn't qualify. Drain it well before using, or the dough will be too wet. Put it in a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Use the drained liquid whey in soups or smoothies.
Provided by David Tanis
Categories dinner, lunch, pastas, appetizer, main course, side dish
Time 40m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
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.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 327, UnsaturatedFat 16 grams, Carbohydrate 8 grams, Fat 28 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 11 grams, SaturatedFat 11 grams, Sodium 283 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams, TransFat 0 grams
RICOTTA GNOCCHI WITH PESTO CREAM SAUCE
Provided by Food Network
Time 2h55m
Yield 10 to 12 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
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 SPRING HERB PESTO
Chef Walter Pisano, a 1999 Workshop alumnus, makes an aromatic pesto that includes neither basil nor garlic. He makes it with fresh spring herbs-parsley, chives, and mint-in place of the basil that doesn't mature until summer. It's lively and light, just the right complement to his feather-light gnocchi, but you could use this pesto on fresh pasta or fish as well. Chef Pisano's gnocchi melt on the tongue when made with high-quality ricotta. At the winery, we use Bellwether Farms ricotta (see page 77), but Calabro also makes an excellent product. You may need to visit a specialty cheese shop to find fresh ricotta. Supermarket ricotta containing gums or stabilizers will not produce the most delicate gnocchi.
Yield serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 13
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.
RICOTTA GNOCCHI
This recipe was passed down to me from my great aunt, it is easy, authentic and delicious! The secret to making these gnocchi is to dry the ingredients as much as you can before using. Let the ricotta drain of excess water by placing it in a strainer over a bowl and leaving it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using.
Provided by Shelbi Awabdy
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 1h
Yield 5
Number Of Ingredients 14
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.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 442 calories, Carbohydrate 27.1 g, Cholesterol 131.1 mg, Fat 26 g, Fiber 1.7 g, Protein 22.4 g, SaturatedFat 11.9 g, Sodium 905.6 mg, Sugar 3.8 g
ARUGULA PESTO WITH HERBED RICOTTA GNOCCHI
There is something so satisfying about making gnocchi-tender pillows of dough that do not require a pasta machine. For the best result, use fresh ricotta (as opposed to commercial brands), which is available at local farmers' markets or cheese stores. The bright-green pesto proves that you don't have to use basil to get a terrific herb sauce for pasta.
Provided by Ellen Ecker Ogden
Yield Serves 4 to 6
Number Of Ingredients 18
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.
GREEN BEAN PARSLEY PESTO GNOCCHI
Whizz up your own parsley, lemon and cashew nut pesto to coat gnocchi and green beans in this 13-minute supper, that's ideal for busy weeknights
Provided by Esther Clark
Categories Dinner, Supper
Time 13m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Roughly chop the parsley leaves and whizz in a food processor with the garlic, nuts and oil to a smooth consistency. Transfer to a bowl and stir through the parmesan and lemon zest, season and set aside.
- Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the gnocchi and beans, and boil for 2-3 mins or until the gnocchi floats to the top of the pan. Drain and toss the gnocchi and beans with the pesto, then divide between four bowls. Finish with a little extra shaved parmesan, if you like.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 578 calories, Fat 39 grams fat, SaturatedFat 7 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 41 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 5 grams sugar, Fiber 9 grams fiber, Protein 12 grams protein, Sodium 1.3 milligram of sodium
Tips:
- Use fresh ricotta cheese. Fresh ricotta cheese is creamier and has a milder flavor than store-bought ricotta cheese.
- Grate the Parmesan cheese finely. This will help the cheese melt smoothly into the sauce.
- Use a light hand when cooking the gnocchi. Gnocchi are delicate and can easily fall apart if they are overcooked.
- Serve the gnocchi with your favorite sauce. The gnocchi in this recipe can be served with a variety of sauces, such as tomato sauce, pesto sauce, or Alfredo sauce.
Conclusion:
Ricotta gnocchi is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. The gnocchi are light and fluffy, and the parsley pesto sauce is flavorful and aromatic. This dish is perfect for a weeknight meal or a special occasion.
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