How to prepare Ricotta Gnocchi without potatoes
Today we’ll see how to make POTATO-FREE GNOCCHI, a very simple basic recipe to prepare homemade gnocchi in just a few minutes that will be soft, but not mushy, with a delicate flavor ideal with any kind of sauce.
An alternative to classic POTATO GNOCCHI, with a dough that’s easy to work and shape without being sticky. You can decide whether to cut them into small squares or give them the classic gnocchi shape using a gnocchi board or a fork.
The dough for this version of GNOCCHI contains just a few simple ingredients you may already have at home: RICOTTA, 00 FLOUR (all-purpose), EGGS and PARMESAN — you don’t need anything else!
Making POTATO-FREE GNOCCHI is accessible to everyone and requires no special kitchen skills. Just mix ricotta, flour, Parmesan, eggs and a pinch of salt in a bowl.
After a quick stir with a fork, transfer the mixture to a lightly floured work surface, knead briefly, form a ball, divide into 4 parts and — without letting the dough rest — you can immediately shape your RICOTTA GNOCCHI without Potatoes.
These potato-free ricotta gnocchi, because of their delicate, almost neutral taste, pair well with any type of sauce: butter and sage, a simple tomato sauce, basil pesto, the SORRENTINA with mozzarella and tomato sauce. Today I decided to dress them with ZUCCHINI and SHRIMP for a light but flavorful first course that also works as a main dish.
The trick for a perfect result is to knead little and quickly — you’ll get soft homemade POTATO-FREE GNOCCHI that melt in your mouth. Because there are no potatoes they also keep longer. Try these RICOTTA GNOCCHI without POTATOES — you’ll see how good they are and kids will love them too. For a gluten-free version, see the recipe for GNOCCHI made with BUCKWHEAT FLOUR without potatoes.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 612.34 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 50.49 (g) of which sugars 2.84 (g)
- Proteins 41.99 (g)
- Fat 28.12 (g) of which saturated 15.90 (g)of which unsaturated 8.81 (g)
- Fibers 1.67 (g)
- Sodium 1,096.07 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
INGREDIENTS needed to prepare POTATO-FREE GNOCCHI
This POTATO-FREE GNOCCHI recipe uses 00 flour (all-purpose). If you need a gluten-free version, see my recipe for GNOCCHI made with BUCKWHEAT FLOUR without potatoes.
- 2 cups ricotta
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (00 flour)
- 2 eggs (whole)
- 4 oz grated Parmesan (about 120 g (≈4 oz, about 1 cup))
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 2 zucchini
- 7 oz shrimp (fresh or frozen)
- extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- 1 pinch chopped parsley (for final garnish)
- 1 tbsp butter
- 3.5 oz smoked pancetta
- to taste grated Parmesan
Tools
- Bowl
- Pot
- Pan
- Gnocchi board
HOW TO MAKE POTATO-FREE GNOCCHI
Put the ricotta in a bowl and soften it slightly with a fork, then add the egg, the Parmesan and a pinch of salt and start mixing with the fork. As soon as the mixture is combined, start incorporating the flour little by little until fully absorbed. If you prefer, you can move to a lightly floured work surface.
Work the dough until it becomes elastic and homogeneous. Form a ball and divide it into 4 parts with a knife. Take one of the portions and, using the palms of your hands, roll it into a cylinder about 5/8 in in diameter. Then cut the cylinder into pieces about 5/8 in long — these will be your gnocchi — trying to keep them all the same size. You can leave them like this or give them the classic gnocchi shape with a gnocchi board.
Before you start, put a pot with plenty of lightly salted water on the heat — you’ll need it to cook the potato-free gnocchi. Now you can prepare the sauce. Clean the zucchini, trim the ends and cut them into thin strips. Heat a drizzle of oil in a pan, add the zucchini, season with a pinch of salt and cook for about 5-8 minutes, stirring often. Meanwhile, clean the shrimp by removing the heads and shells, then rinse under running water. Add the shrimp to the pan with the zucchini and season for a couple of minutes until cooked. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Meanwhile the water will have come to a boil. Add the ricotta gnocchi and cook for about 4 minutes. Generally, when they are cooked they will float. Drain them with a slotted spoon directly into the pan with the sauce. Gently toss to combine (to toss without breaking them, use two spoons), let them absorb the flavors over medium heat for a couple of minutes then serve immediately with a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley.
Another pairing I recommend is a tasty cheese sauce made by melting Raschera, Toma or other melting cheese in a bain-marie with half its weight in fresh cooking cream, or for a tasty crunchy option, a sauce made with zucchini and crispy pancetta. You can also make your potato-free gnocchi even tastier and crispier by pan-frying them: heat a knob of butter in a pan. Brown 3.5 oz (100 g) of pancetta until the butter begins to foam, then add the cooked gnocchi, warming them for 2 minutes per side. Fry in batches if necessary, then sprinkle generously with grated Parmesan and serve.
STORAGE
Potato-free gnocchi can be frozen as soon as they are formed and still uncooked. First place them on a tray spaced apart in the freezer and, once hardened, transfer them to freezer bags. Once cooked and dressed with sauce, they are best eaten immediately.
TIPS AND VARIATIONS
00 FLOUR (all-purpose): If you prefer a more rustic flavor that vaguely recalls Valtellina pizzoccheri, you can replace part of the flour with buckwheat flour. The recommended proportions for substitution are: 180 g buckwheat flour + 70 g 00 flour instead of 240 g 00 flour.
RICOTTA: For these potato-free gnocchi buy cow’s milk ricotta. Before using it, place it in a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl so it loses excess water; otherwise the dough may be ruined.
PARMESAN: don’t omit this ingredient because, besides giving good flavor, it helps achieve the right consistency of the dough.
GLUTEN-FREE POTATO-FREE GNOCCHI: If you need potato-free ricotta gnocchi without gluten, see my recipe for GNOCCHI made with BUCKWHEAT FLOUR without potatoes.
WHAT SAUCE GOES WITH POTATO-FREE GNOCCHI
The delicate and almost neutral taste of these gnocchi pairs well with many sauces: from a simple tomato sauce, to a walnut sauce, or Genovese basil pesto, to richer and more elaborate dressings. If you like bolder flavors, try them with a cheese cream such as MELTY-CHEESE GNOCCHI, or the SORRENTINA with mozzarella and tomato sauce. A good Neapolitan ragù or a sausage ragù are also great options.
WHERE POTATO-FREE GNOCCHI COME FROM
The world is divided between those who like very soft gnocchi and those who prefer them firmer. For the latter group, the traditional potato-free gnocchi recipe — widespread in Southern Italy — is best. Their peculiarity is a pleasantly substantial (but not hard) texture. Besides being traditional, making gnocchi without potatoes is a great option when you don’t have potatoes at home or don’t have time (or desire) to boil them. Simple and quick, with very few ingredients, but a guaranteed success.
VARIATIONS OF POTATO-FREE GNOCCHI
Although the word gnocchi immediately brings to mind classic POTATO GNOCCHI, there are many variations that don’t use potatoes at all, starting with ROMAN GNOCCHI, made with semolina and water and baked with butter, grated cheese and nutmeg.
Many regional recipes are made with stale bread — poor-house recipes from a time when leftovers weren’t wasted: this is likely the origin of the famous CANEDERLI with SPECK from Trentino, which include old bread in the dough together with milk, speck, grated cheese and eggs.
Other gnocchi variations use flours and vegetables — for example SPÄTZLE, green gnocchetti made with spinach in the dough, and many more.
