If you have some ricotta cheese about to expire, but don’t want to make the usual dessert, I have just the right recipe for you, really tasty and fun to make, especially during these days of pseudo-lockdown at home! Among the many gnocchi versions I’ve experimented with over the years, the most appreciated have undoubtedly been the ones with eggplant and pumpkin, but I must say that these, made with ricotta instead of the classic potatoes, are a delight to replicate as soon as possible! Obviously, like all my gnocchi recipes, this one I’m proposing today is egg-free; just add a little water to get a soft and thoroughly tested dough! Plus, I chose to add lemon zest, which you’ll pleasantly taste and will give each of your dishes a surprising fresh and citrusy note! I dressed them with simple homemade basil pesto, or you can serve them with fresh tomato sauce; they are fantastic! In short, easy, quick, and delicious, you have no excuse not to prepare them!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients:
- 10.5 oz Ricotta
- 1.25 cups All-purpose flour
- 4 tbsps Grana Padano DOP
- 2 tbsps Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Lemon zest (untreated)
- 2 tbsps Water
- 1 pinch Salt
Preparation:
First, sift the flour through a fine-mesh sieve and let it rest for 30 minutes to lose its water. Then add it to the flour, Grana, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl (fig. 1).
Also add the oil and start kneading, adding the water only as needed (fig. 2).
Form a smooth and homogeneous ball (fig. 3).
On a lightly floured surface, take parts of the dough and form sticks about 3/4 inches in diameter (fig. 4).
Divide them into many regular pieces and pass them on a gnocchi board, pressing them slightly with your thumb or index finger. If you don’t have a gnocchi board, imprint them with the tines of a fork. Arrange them on a lightly floured tray (fig. 5).
Cook the gnocchi in salted boiling water, and scoop them out with a slotted spoon as they rise to the surface. It will take about 2 minutes (fig. 6).
Dress them with basil pesto and, if you like, more lemon zest.
And voilà… your ricotta gnocchi with lemon zest are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appétit from FeFe’s kitchen!
