Buzz
I often turn to food blogs and quirky social media trends for recipe ideas, but I have a special love for diving into culinary magazines from around the world. Can I read all their languages? Not quite, but I understand the essence of the dishes (and a translation app certainly helps). One of my favorites, La Cucina Italiana, featured a pasta recipe recently that seemed almost too simple—only three ingredients (one being salt) and no need for special equipment. Naturally, I had to give it a try. It’s called gnocchetti di ricotta, and I think I might be in love with it.
You’ve likely heard of gnocchi (the larger cousin of gnocchetti), an Italian potato-based dumpling the size of a pecan. Traditional potato gnocchi demands patience for boiling and cooling potatoes, a ricer (a tool used to press the potatoes through small holes for a smooth texture), and a bit of effort to shape the dough. While you can also shape potato gnocchi into smaller gnocchetti, it’s the ease of making this ricotta version that has me hooked.
Simplify your pasta night with these essential tools:
Calphalon Classic Quart Pot
Bench Scraper with Ruler Edge
Here's how you can make gnocchetti di ricotta, a delightful Italian pasta dish.
This is a simple pasta recipe that delivers great flavor. It pairs beautifully with tomato sauce, pesto, creamy sauces, or even just a bit of salted butter. All that’s needed are full-fat ricotta cheese, all-purpose flour, and a pinch of salt.
1. Begin by patting the ricotta dry.
To ensure your dough stays intact while boiling, it's essential to remove excess moisture from the ricotta. Place a couple of layers of paper towels on top of the ricotta, fold the edges over, and gently press. After a couple of minutes, you'll notice the paper towels absorbing the moisture. Unwrap the cheese and transfer it to a mixing bowl.
2. Combine the dough ingredients
Begin by adding the flour to the bowl. The beauty of this recipe lies in the fact that the ratio of ricotta to flour is nearly perfect at 2:1 by weight. This means you can adjust the quantities for any number of servings based on this ratio, only needing to withhold some of the flour and adding it later if the dough feels too sticky. Toss in a pinch of salt and stir until the dough forms into a tacky, yet not wet, ball. Let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Form the gnocchetti
Once the dough has rested, pinch off a piece roughly the size of a golf ball and, using your hands, roll it into a rope on the cutting board. The thickness should be slightly more than a #2 pencil. With a knife or bench scraper, slice the rope into dumplings that are about a third or half an inch wide. Place the dumplings in a bowl dusted with semolina or all-purpose flour to keep them from sticking. Continue this process with the rest of the dough.
4. Boil and Serve
Shake off any excess semolina and gently drop the gnocchetti into boiling salted water. Let them rise to the surface and cook for about three minutes. Drain, then toss the tiny ricotta dumplings with your preferred sauce. Serve immediately.
These little pasta pillows are delightfully tender, subtly cheesy, and incredibly satisfying. I personally love their smaller size, as it lets me pile more onto my fork for a bigger bite, but feel free to make them larger if you prefer. While I haven’t tried it myself, I’ve read that raw dough doesn’t store well. It’s best to cook all the gnocchetti and refrigerate any leftovers. Just be sure to enjoy them within a few days.
Simple Gnocchetti di Ricotta Recipe
Ingredients:
- Combine ½ cup full-fat ricotta cheese, ½ cup all-purpose flour, and ½ teaspoon salt to create a delicious dough for gnocchetti. Mix these ingredients thoroughly to form a dough ball, ensuring it has the right texture—not too sticky, but slightly tacky.
Start by placing the ricotta cheese on a double layer of paper towels. Gently press to absorb any excess moisture, then unwrap the cheese and transfer it into a mixing bowl.
Next, add the flour and salt to the mixing bowl. Mix everything thoroughly until the dough starts forming into a ball. It should feel a bit sticky but not overly so. If it sticks too much, gradually add more flour, about one tablespoon at a time. Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Divide the dough into small sections—about five or six portions. For each section, roll it into a ball, then shape it into a rope with your hands. Slice the rope into small pieces, approximately a half-inch wide. Toss the pieces with a light dusting of semolina or flour to prevent sticking. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Once the water is boiling, add salt and drop the gnocchetti into the pot. Let them float to the surface, and then cook them for about three minutes. Once done, drain the gnocchetti and serve them with your favorite sauce, in soup, or simply toss them with parmesan cheese and olive oil.
