Straightforward ricotta gnocchi with creamy mushroom sauce

June 29, 2024

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Ricotta gnocchi is the straightforward solution to make do-it-yourself gnocchi from scratch! They take 20 minutes from begin to end, and are identical to potato gnocchi – delicate, plump pillows able to be tossed in your sauce of alternative. Right now – a creamy mushroom sauce. Excellent match!

Close up of Ricotta gnocchi with creamy mushroom sauce

Ricotta gnocchi – the straightforward solution to make gnocchi

This isn’t the primary time I’ve shared a ricotta gnocchi recipe (see right here and right here), and it’ll not be the final. I’m a giant fan as a result of it’s a a lot less complicated and sooner to make than the extra well-known potato gnocchi which requires accuracy to make sure they don’t find yourself dense and doughy. Plus, I like that ricotta gnocchi are lighter and fluffier than potato gnocchi, so it doesn’t depart you feeling weighed down.

And sure, ricotta gnocchi is legit Italian! As with many conventional meals around the globe, there are numerous methods to make gnocchi in Italy, ricotta gnocchi being one selection. 🙂

Ricotta gnocchi with creamy mushroom sauce in bowls ready to eat

Delving into the distinction slightly extra – Basically, potato gnocchi is made with mashed potato, flour and egg. Ricotta gnocchi merely switches the potato with ricotta, and on this recipe some parmesan is added for further flavour. I discover that they really style fairly comparable, as a result of in truth, potato gnocchi doesn’t style very similar to potato as soon as tossed with the sauce. And likewise, with ricotta being a impartial flavoured cheese, you possibly can’t style it a lot in ricotta gnocchi.

However the massive distinction is texture and velocity of constructing. Ricotta gnocchi is, as talked about above, softer and lighter than potato gnocchi. And as for making time – 20 minutes vs 1 hour minimal!

PS Simply to be clear, this recipe will not be dissing potato gnocchi. I like them. However I can’t keep in mind the final time I made them. Whereas ricotta gnocchi is an everyday!

Cooking ricotta gnocchi — Tumbling gnocchi!

Elements

Right here’s what you want to make this ricotta gnocchi with creamy mushroom sauce.

For the ricotta gnocchi

Ricotta – Use common ricotta that’s type of lumpy once you scoop it up (see video). Not the creamy, easy spreadable sort of ricotta (often labelled “spreadable ricotta” 0r comparable.) That’s too moist and free, which is able to make the dough too sticky.

Paesanella, which is broadly accessible in NSW, is my favorite mainstream model. In Victoria, search for That’s Amore.

Obtained the improper ricotta? – In case you bought the spreadable easy sort unintentionally, you’ll want round 450g/15 oz and might want to extract extra liquid by inserting it in a paper towel lined colander for an hour, and even in a single day. Then measure out 250g/8 oz and proceed with the recipe.
Flour – simply plain / all-purpose flour. Not self elevating flour, it can make the ricotta puff up and it’ll type of disintegrate (yep, tried it!).
Parmesan – This provides flavour in addition to including a little bit of construction to the dough. With out, the dough is slightly too fragile and the gnocchi extra prone to falling aside if the dough consistency will not be good. Consider it as cheese glue that’s holding the gnocchi collectively!
Egg + egg yolk – For slightly richness and in addition to carry the gnocchi collectively.

Creamy mushroom sauce

Right here’s what you want for this pretty creamy mushroom sauce infused with refined thyme flavour.

Mushrooms – Simply common white mushrooms, or Swiss Brown/cremini in case you want.
Cream – Thickened cream / heavy cream is, because the identify suggests, thicker! So the sauce will thicken sooner. But it surely’s positive to make use of common pouring or whipping cream right here because the starch within the gnocchi will thicken the sauce rapidly when you begin tossing them collectively.
White wine – I virtually at all times deglaze my pan utilizing wine for sauces. Delgazing merely means utilizing a liquid to dissolve gold bits caught on the bottom of the pan from sautéing issues (mushrooms and onion on this case) into the liquid as a result of it’s free flavour. You possibly can use water or inventory, however wine provides extra flavour into the sauce. We cook dinner out the alcohol so it doesn’t style winey in any respect.

Kind of wine – Chardonnay is my default white wine as of late, for the most effective flavour and greatest all-rounder for cooking. However any dry white wine will work positive right here. Simply keep away from something too candy. Additionally, be happy to skip the wine in case you can’t devour alcohol. The sauce will nonetheless be scrumptious!
Rooster inventory / broth – The liquid for the sauce. Be happy to make use of vegetable inventory as an alternative, if you wish to maintain it vegetarian. I at all times use low-sodium so I can management the extent of salt in dishes. In case you solely have full salt inventory, cut back the quantity of salt listed within the components (begin with half then add extra on the finish if desired).
Thyme sprigs – Utilizing contemporary thyme sprigs infuses the sauce with higher thyme flavour, however you possibly can substitute with dried thyme leaves.
Butter – For cooking the onion and mushrooms. Be happy to substitute with olive oil (however butter makes it tastier!).
Onion and garlic – Provides further flavour into the sauce. You possibly can skip the onion, however actually suggest not skipping the garlic! (PS You need to use eschallots/French onions – referred to as shallots within the States – as an alternative of onion).

Scooping Ricotta gnocchi with creamy mushroom sauce

make ricotta gnocchi

The trick to creating ricotta gnocchi so it’s actually gentle and delicate inside is to make use of the minimal quantity of flour you will get away with. Stickier dough = lighter gnocchi! Nevertheless ricotta gnocchi is way more forgiving than potato gnocchi so even in case you add extra flour than perfect, they are going to nonetheless be pretty and delicate inside. I’ve examined 1 1/4 cups of flour (recipe requires 3/4 cup as much as 1 cup), and it was nonetheless nice!

1. HOW TO MAKE RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Combine the ricotta, parmesan, egg, salt and pepper till mixed. use a wood spoon or firm-ish rubber spatula. Smear the ricotta up the aspect of the bowl if wanted, to assist cream it. Then add 3/4 cup of flour to start with and blend.
Shaggy dough – It must be a lumpy, sticky dough, like pictured above (video may be very useful too). If wanted (as a result of the wetness of ricotta can range), add a bit extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time however don’t exceed 1 cup (ie 4 further tablespoons).

The dough will probably be too sticky to knead. However due to the way in which the gnocchi is rolled and lower, it may be very sticky on the within, we simply use flour on the surface to make it manageable. (See subsequent steps)

Disc – Scrape the dough out onto a calmly floured work floor then give it a light-weight knead to convey it collectively right into a ball and pat it right into a disc.
Minimize it into 8 equal wedges. (I swear, that is the half I discover hardest on this complete recipe. My wedges are at all times very uneven, end in ropes of various lengths as you’ll within the video!)

Roll the logs into 25 cm / 10″ lengths which can be 1.25cm / 1/2″ thick.
Minimize into little 1.5cm / 3/5″ items (I lower 4 logs at a time use a pointy dough scraper). And that’s the gnocchi, finished!

Scrape them onto a tray and dirt very calmly with flour as wanted to maintain them from sticking on the tray and to one another. They’ll keep on the tray when you make the mushroom sauce, they received’t dry out in that point. However cowl with cling wrap in case you intend to faff round for some time. And in case you’re making them to cook dinner later that day, refrigerate them.

Freezing gnocchi – At this level, they may also be frozen. Freeze in single layers (you need to use baking paper to separate layers). Then tumble into an hermetic container and freeze till required. Prepare dinner from frozen, it can simply take an additional minute or so. And so they come out identical to freshly made. How useful is that!

Subsequent, let’s get onto cooking them! Mushroom sauce first.

2. MAKE THE Creamy mushroom sauce

Heads up: the sauce will appear slightly skinny. However when you add the gnocchi it can thicken rapidly from the starch within the gnocchi. So have religion!

Prepare dinner the onion and garlic first with the thyme sprigs. Then cook dinner the mushrooms till they soften. It would take 5 minutes, and can go from being onerous (uncooked) to watery, then by the point the water evaporates the mushrooms must be softened.
Deglaze the pan with the wine (see below the components part for extra details about this step). Simmer quickly for two minutes or till the wine is usually evaporated. This can cook dinner out a lot of the alcohol and all of the winey flavour.

Simmer – Add the inventory and cream, then simmer gently for five minutes on a medium low warmth till the sauce has thickened barely and darker in color.
After simmering – That is what it seems to be like after it has been simmered for five minutes. As famous above, don’t fear if it appears skinny, it can thicken as soon as we add the gnocchi!

3. HOW TO COOK GNOCCHI AND TOSS WITH THE SAUCE

Tip: Boil the gnocchi in a pot subsequent to the mushroom sauce so you possibly can scoop it out of the water and straight into the sauce.

Boil gnocchi – Deliver a big pot of water to the boil with a few teaspoons of salt. Then tumble the gnocchi in.
inform the gnocchi is cooked (~2 1/2 minutes) – The gnocchi will float to the floor when it’s cooked, then give it one other 30 seconds to cook dinner it by earlier than scooping it out. This could take about 2 1/2 minutes, give or take 30 seconds (eg bigger pot and stronger range = will cook dinner sooner).

Switch the gnocchi straight into the sauce, extra water drips and all!
Scoop the gnocchi out utilizing a spider or a slotted spoon. Hold the pot of cooking water in case you want to skinny the sauce.

Gently toss the gnocchi within the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes on a medium low range. On this step the starch from the flour within the gnocchi will launch into the sauce and make it thicken, so it coats the gnocchi fairly than pooling within the base of the pan.
Proof of thickened sauce coating gnocchi – voila! And we’re finished. Serve it up instantly with a sprinkle of parmesan!

Ricotta gnocchi with creamy mushroom sauce in a pan ready to serve

Essential: serve it right away!

Like all pasta, gnocchi is at its greatest the second it’s cooked. Each minute it’s sitting round, the standard erodes. Harsh however true truth. Scorching, freshly cooked gnocchi is delicate and pillowy and the sauce is creamy and slick. As they cool, they change into firmer and chewier and the sauce thickens and companies up. It may be resurrected to a level within the microwave, but it surely’s by no means like when freshly made!

The lesson right here is to make sure that the fortunate recipients of your beautiful little plump gnocchi are seated on the desk, napkins tucked below their chins, spoons in hand, able to dig into the gnocchi the second you place the bowl in entrance of them. I do know they had been comparatively low effort to make. However we should always nonetheless do what we will to make sure they’re loved at their completely prime so you’ll be lavished with most reward, you Gnocchi Goddess, you! (or God) – Nagi x

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Straightforward ricotta gnocchi with creamy mushroom sauce

Ricotta gnocchi – the straightforward solution to make gnocchi