Your Daily Dish: Ricotta Gnocchi in Tomato Sauce

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These small dumplings are harder to pronounce – NOK-ee? NYO-ke? NEE-okee? – than to make from scratch. using basic ingredients such as ricotta, eggs, flour and Parmesan cheese we’ve created the lightest, most tender-textured gnocchi. Or, is that NYAW-kee?

Ingredients

Gnocchi Dough
4 cups ricotta cheese
3 large eggs
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 cups flour

Tomato Sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 (28oz/796ml) cans diced tomatoes, with liquid
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1) Dust 2 baking sheets with flour. Set aside.

2) For the dough, in a large bowl, using your hands or a wooden spoon, combine ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Add flour 1 cup at a time to form a soft dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead gently for 2 minutes.

3) Divide the dough into 6 pieces and roll each into a ball. Roll out each ball into 1/2-inch thick ropes. Cut each rope into 1-inch slices and gently place on prepared baking sheets. If not cooking right away, cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use.

4) For the sauce, in a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add carrot and onion, stirring for 3-5 minutes or until tender. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste and crushed red pepper flakes, bringing to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and use a hand held or countertop blender to process until smooth. Season with sugar, salt and pepper.

5) To cook gnocchi, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Drop pieces into boiling water and cook until gnocchi rise to the surface, about 2-3 minutes. Remove gnocchi using a slotted spoon and place in a serving bowl. Top with tomato sauce and serve.

Serves 8-10, yielding approximately 120 gnocchi

Bite Me Bit: “To correct an Englishman’s pronunciation is to imply that he is not quite a gentleman.” -George Bernard Shaw

Ricotta, the mild and creamy cheese, takes center stage in this Spinach & Ricotta Pasta, a dish of tender pasta paired with subtle ricotta cheese, mellow baby spinach and sharp, tangy Parmesan.

 

 

Whether it’s cruising the aisles at the Dollar Store or experimenting at the stove, we believe that every day can be a holiday.

 

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