Ricotta Cheese Gnocchi

 

Who would have thought that it was so easy to make homemade gnocchi.  For years if I wanted them I would buy the ones air-sealed in plastic at the grocery store.  My husband and son love the gnocchi soup that you can get at a local restaurant, so I decided of course that I could make it better at home.  I was a little worried at first since this was new to me, but trust me when I say it is super easy and they taste ten times better than the ones that you pay big bucks for. It takes only four ingredients, so give it a try and I think you will agree that homemade is easy and tasty too.

 

1 16 oz. container of ricotta cheese, whole milk (not fat reduced)

1 egg

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup flour

 

Place a strainer lined with paper towels over a bowl.  Add the ricotta and allow the cheese to drain for about an hour.  You need to get the extra liquid out of the cheese before you add the remaining ingredients.  Mix the drained ricotta, egg, cheese and 3/4 cup flour in a bowl. Cover and let rest in refrigerator for 10 minutes.  Take the dough out and check the texture.  It should be slightly tacky but not sticking to you hands.  If it is too sticky, add one tablespoon of flour at a time until you have a consistency that you can work with.

Place a large pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil.  You will need to have it boiling so you can drop the gnocchi in quickly after shaping.  Sprinkle flour on your hands and a large work surface and begin to roll a small section on dough into a thick log.  Cut the log into 1 inch pieces using a knife.  They should look like “little pillows”, as one grandma from my church told me.

Gently add them one at a time to the boiling water and stir gently to keep them from sticking together.  Once they float to the top of the water, let them cook for an additional 2 minutes–no longer.  Remove from water with slotted spoon and transfer to a colander where they can continue to drain.  Repeat again until all dough is used.

Add your favorite sauce, or stir gently into soup or casserole.  Enjoy!