Ricotta Gnocchi

From the blog For Love of the Table

1 lb. drained (see note) whole milk ricotta

2 T. olive oil, plus more for cooking

3/4 t. kosher salt

1 oz. finely grated Parmesan

1 egg, beaten

1 egg yolk

1 c. all-purpose flour (4 ounces)

Semolina flour

Place the ricotta in a bowl with the olive oil and salt. Beat until smooth (some ricotta has prominent curds and you want the ricotta to be smooth) and starting to get fluffy. Add the Parmesan and beat in. Beat in half of the egg and the yolk (save the remaining half egg).

Place half of the flour onto a clean counter and turn the ricotta mixture out onto the flour. Sprinkle half of the remaining flour over the mound of ricotta. With a bench scraper, cut the flour into the ricotta mixture just until it has disappeared and the dough begins to come together, adding as much of the remaining flour as is necessary to form a soft, slightly springy dough. The dough may be tacky to the touch, but it shouldn't stick to your fingers.

Test the dough for seasoning and structure by pinching off a 1-inch by 1/2-inch piece and dropping it into a pan of simmering salted water and cooking for a minute after it floats to the surface. If it falls apart, work in some of the reserved egg and if necessary more flour and test again. Taste and correct the salt if necessary.

Cut the finished dough into six pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece out into a long rope that is about a half inch in diameter and about 20 inches long.

Dust the work surface and the ropes with semolina and using a bench scraper, cut the ropes crosswise into 1 inch pieces. To finish shaping, place one of the cut surfaces of the gnocchi on a semolina-dusted fork and with your thumb (floured if necessary) press the other cut surface down and away from yourself, rolling the gnocchi off of the fork as you do. You should end up with a dumpling that has the marks of the fork on one side and a dimple from your thumb on the other. Place the gnocchi onto a semolina dusted sheet pan as you form them. The gnocchi may be held at a cool room temperature, or uncovered in the refrigerator, for a few hours. They may also be frozen at this point (see notes).

To cook the gnocchi, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a simmer (a hard boil will encourage the gnocchi to disintegrate). Add the gnocchi. Carefully stir or gently slide the pan back and forth to make sure the gnocchi aren't sticking to the bottom. Monitor the pot to make sure a gentle simmer is maintained. The gnocchi will begin to bob to the surface. Continue to cook for 1 minute after they float to the surface. (They are done when they feel slightly springy—rather than squishy—to the touch.) Lift the gnocchi out of the water with a mesh strainer and place in a wide dish with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Toss to coat. Serve immediately dressed with your favorite sauce or set aside for up to an hour. Reheat in the sauce the gnocchi will be served in.

Makes about 120 gnocchi (possibly more, depending on how thick you make your ropes and how wide you make your cuts), serving 4 to 6.

(Recipe adapted from A16 Food+Wine, by Nate Appleman & Shelley Lindgren)

Notes:

Most commercially available ricotta is wet. You will probably be able to pour some of the water off when you open the container. Even if it looks firm and dry, I always place it in a paper towel-lined sieve and suspend it over a bowl to let it drain overnight (in the fridge). Often there will be no liquid in the bowl, but the paper towel will be saturated. If you don't drain the ricotta, you may need to add more flour to the dough, which can make the gnocchi stodgy and tough.
To freeze the gnocchi, place them in the freezer in a single layer on a semolina dusted sheet pan. When the gnocchi are hard, transfer them to a freezer bag. To cook, spread the frozen gnocchi on a sheet pan (with some of the semolina from the bag, or fresh semolina) and let them sit uncovered at room temperature to thaw. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes. Cook as for fresh.
Recipe is easily halved or multiplied.
If you do not have a large stock pot, poach the gnocchi in two batches.

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As published on forloveofthetable.com