RICOTTA GNOCCHI WITH PARSLEY PESTO

Ricotta Gnocchi With Parsley Pesto image

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

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Ingredients

1 pound fresh ricotta, about 2 cups, drained well
Salt and pepper
3 or 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 to 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, as needed
Fine semolina flour or rice flour, for dusting
3 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup toasted pistachios, roughly chopped for garnish

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

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Phillipine Thema

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The ricotta gnocchi was a little bit too soft for my taste, but the parsley pesto was delicious. I think I would try a different gnocchi recipe next time.

arron humphrey

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This dish was a hit with my family! The kids loved the gnocchi and the adults loved the pesto. I especially liked the fact that the recipe was so easy to follow. I will definitely be making this again.

teshome amente

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I'm not usually a fan of gnocchi, but this recipe changed my mind. The ricotta gnocchi were so soft and pillowy, and the parsley pesto was the perfect complement. I loved the bright, herby flavor. I will definitely be making this again.

anthony haber

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This ricotta gnocchi with parsley pesto was an absolute delight! The gnocchi were light and fluffy, and the pesto was bursting with flavor. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly. I will definitely be making this again.

Arif Shah

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This dish was okay. The gnocchi were a little bit too dense and the pesto was a little bit too oily. I think I would try a different recipe next time.

Faith Bassey

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I was a little bit disappointed with this recipe. The gnocchi were a little bit too soft and the pesto was a little bit too bland. I think I would try a different recipe next time.

Khalil Rehan

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This dish was a little bit time-consuming to make, but it was worth it. The ricotta gnocchi were delicious and the parsley pesto was the perfect complement. I loved the bright, herby flavor. I will definitely be making this again for special occasion

Anime Weeb19

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I'm so glad I tried this recipe! The ricotta gnocchi were so easy to make and they turned out perfectly. The parsley pesto was also delicious. I served it with grilled salmon and it was a hit with my family. I will definitely be making this again.

Md Jonayed

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This dish was delicious! The gnocchi were light and fluffy, and the pesto was so flavorful. I loved the combination of flavors and textures. I will definitely be making this again.

Pas khang

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This dish was okay. The gnocchi were a little bit too dense and the pesto was a little bit too oily. I think I would try a different recipe next time.

NANA YAW PETER

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I was a little bit disappointed with this recipe. The gnocchi were a little bit too soft and the pesto was a little bit too bland. I think I would try a different recipe next time.

Ephre Gebru

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Vicky Fernandez

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I'm so glad I tried this recipe! The ricotta gnocchi were so easy to make and they turned out perfectly. The parsley pesto was also delicious. I served it with grilled chicken and it was a hit with my family. I will definitely be making this again.

Shafaq Butt

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This dish was amazing! The gnocchi were light and fluffy, and the pesto was so flavorful. I loved the combination of flavors and textures. I will definitely be making this again.

Loke Jusifr

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Overall, this dish was good, but not great. The gnocchi were a little bit bland and the pesto was a little bit too oily. I think I would try a different recipe next time.

Shoaib Kahloon

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The ricotta gnocchi was a little bit too soft for my taste, but the parsley pesto was delicious. I think I would try a different gnocchi recipe next time.