Knock, knock.
Who’s there?
Gnocchi.
Gnocchi who?
Gnocchi your socks off!
Monday, you got topless women. Wednesday, you got the recipe Martha considers the best she’s ever made. Today, you get knock-knock jokes. TGIF, right?
I, for one, think knock-knock jokes are pretty exciting. Particularly when they concern gnocchi, otherwise known as the formerly unattainable dumplings of the gods. Everything I heard about gnocchi was always a horror story: boiling the potatoes, mashing the potatoes, sticky messess, hours of labor, all for a chewy, tough final product. Not so with this gnocchi! In just 15 minutes, you can perfectly tender pillows with little fuss or muss (or mess). They’re just not the traditional gnocchi…
These 15-minute wonders I speak of are ricotta gnocchi. I’m not sure they’re perfectly legit, but you know what? I don’t care. While gnocchi purists are slaving over their boiling pots of potatoes, I’ll have all the more time to collect knock-knock jokes.
I made these twice in one week — that’s how easy they are. Once, plain with brown butter and a caprese salad; once (preparing for a mushroom Iron Chef contest) with mushrooms added (pictured above and variation listed below) and a mushroom cream sauce. To my surprise, adding chopped mushrooms (rehydrated) to the dough really added some mushroom flavor (and I also found the speckles very beguiling). The sauce is earthy and unctuous and utterly delicious, and was primarily made by my cooking partner, who is moving up in the world from a usual diet of rice (made in a rice cooker) with ketchup. Which is to say that anyone can make this sauce! And the gnocchi, which he was also primarily responsible for the second time around.
Easy Ricotta Gnocchi
Adapted from Delicious Days
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 c. ricotta cheese
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ tsp. Fine sea salt
- ¼ c. grated Parmesan (or Pecorino Romano) cheese
- 2/3 c. flour, with a little extra for dusting the board
- Optional: 1 package dried mushrooms, rehydrated in boiling water (per package instructions), chopped finely. SAVE WATER and use in Mushroom Cream Sauce (recipe below).
1. Combine ricotta, egg yolk, salt, and Parmesan in a large bowl. Add the flour and stir until just combined. Optional: Add chopped mushroom and combine. The dough should still be sticky, but not unmanageable; if you are having a really hard time with it, you can add more flour (but remember, the more flour you add, the denser your gnocchi).
2. Start boiling a large pot of salted water. (Turn heat down to a simmer after it comes to a boil.)
3. Meanwhile, form gnocchi:
a. Generously flour a cutting board.
b. Scoop a tablespoon of dough onto the board.
c. Generously flour your hands (just grab some flour and rub it on your palms).
d. Roll out the gnocchi into a roll that is about as thick as your finger.
e. Dust a sharp knife’s blade with flour.
f. If you are feeling aesthetically precise, cut off the ends of the roll, so that each gnoccho will look the same. Then cut the roll into small pillows (about one inch long).
g. Place the finished gnoccho in the corner of the floured board or on a separate floured board or plate (so long as they’re still on flour).
4. Add gnocchi to simmering water (careful not to burn yourself). Once they’re all in, give them one gentle stir, so they don’t stick to the bottom.
5. Gnocchi are done when they all float to the top, after about 2-4 minutes. Remove using a slotted spoon or skimmer (don’t drain – they’re too delicate). Serve with the sauce of your choice: brown butter (with sage), tomato sauce, pesto, cheese/other creamy sauce…
Mushroom Cream Sauce
Adapted from Tyler Florence
Makes enough to cover pasta/gnocchi for 2
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 5 sage leaves
- 6 ounces crimini (white buton) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 leek, tough upper green part discarded, lower part well-cleaned, cut in half vertically, and then sliced into half-moons
- liquid from rehydrating 1 packet of dried mushrooms
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1. Melt butter in a saute pan over low heat. Add garlic and sage. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the mushrooms, cook 5 minutes until slightly softened. Pour in cream and mushroom liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and let simmer until sauce has reduced and thickened somewhat. Stir in leek – the sauce should coat the leek and seem thicker, somehow. If still not your desired thickness, cook a little longer. Adjust seasoning, and serve.