Ricotta Gnocchi With Tomato Mushroom And Pancetta Sauce Recipes

RICOTTA GNOCCHI IN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until flavors are blended, stirring occasionally., Meanwhile, for gnocchi, in a large bowl, mix ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper until blended. Stir in enough flour to form a soft dough that holds its shape., In a Dutch oven, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Divide dough into eight portions. Roll each into a 1/2-in.-thick rope; cut crosswise into 3/4-in. pieces., Cook gnocchi in batches in boiling water 2-3 minutes or until they float; remove with a slotted spoon. Drain well. Add gnocchi to sauce; gently stir in mozzarella cheese. If desired, sprinkle with basil.

RICOTTA GNOCCHI WITH SIMPLE TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. To prepare the gnocchi, gently mix the cheese, egg yolks, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl until blended.
• 2. Using your hands, fold the flour gradually into the cheese mixture. You may need more or less flour, depending on how well the cheese was drained. Work the dough until it forms a loose ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead once or twice. Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll each one into a long rope about 3/4 inch in diameter. Lightly dust each rope with flour to prevent sticking when you cut them into gnocchi.
• 3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust it with flour. Cut the ropes into 3/4-inch-long pieces and transfer each piece to the baking sheet.
• 4. You may choose to leave the gnocchi in these pieces or go one step further by rolling each piece into a ball. Use your thumb, the back of a fork, or a small gnocchi paddle to make grooves on 1 side of the balls and a small indentation on the other.
• 5.Transfer the gnocchi to the baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, for up to 24 hours. (Do not cover with a damp cloth or the gnocchi will soften.) After the gnocchi dry for 24 hours in the refrigerator, they can be transferred to a rigid plastic container and frozen for up to 1 week. Let them thaw before cooking.
• 6. Fill a large saucepan with lightly salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Gently drop the gnocchi into the water and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the gnocchi bob to the surface. When they do, cook for 1 minute longer and then drain, reserving about 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
• 7. To prepare the tomato sauce, heat the tomatoes over medium-high heat. Thin or loosen with a little pasta water. Stir in 1/2 cup of olive oil and the butter until the butter is incorporated. Toss the gnocchi with the tomato sauce. Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• 8. Divide the gnocchi among 4 serving plates and drizzle with olive oil.
• Note:

RICOTTA GNOCCHI WITH MUSHROOM CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the ricotta, Parmesan, egg yolks and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix on low speed, scrape down the sides and mix again. Add the 1 cup of flour in three additions on low speed. Do not overmix.
• Dust a clean work surface with flour. Dust a sheet tray with flour. Turn out the dough onto the floured work surface and dust your hands with some flour. Roll the dough into long cylinders, about 18 inches in length. With a bench scraper, cut the dough into 1-inch pieces and place onto the sheet tray dusted with flour. Sprinkle the gnocchi with more flour to avoid sticking.
• Heat a large saute pan with some olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the maitakes and cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the oyster mushrooms and cook until browned, another 4 to 5 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic and thyme sprigs and cook for a few minutes until fragrant and softened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the heavy cream and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until thickened and reduced by a little more than half, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Set up a pot of boiling water and season liberally with kosher salt. Drop the gnocchi into the water. Once they float to the top, they are done, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the gnocchi and add them directly into the mushroom cream sauce and toss to combine over a low simmer. If the sauce has gotten too thick, thin it out with a little bit of pasta water. Garnish with the chives.

GNOCCHI AND TOMATO PANCETTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Boil the potatoes until fork tender (not mushy). As soon as they are done, remove from the water and place in a dish. Remove the skin from the potatoes using a sharp knife or fork. Cut the potatoes into pieces and process the peeled, hot potatoes through a food mill using the medium disk.
• Place a mound of flour, about 2 1/2 cups to start, on your work surface (a floured board). Place all of the processed potatoes on top of the flour. Knead the flour/potato mixture with your hands until the dough is smooth; free of lumps, but yet still a little sticky. This recipe does not lend itself to making the dough in the food processor or mixer. Keep adding flour as necessary to obtain the desired consistency. The amount of the flour needed depends on how much water is in the potatoes, the moisture in the air, etc. Sometimes it can take up to 4 cups to obtain the right consistency. Keep kneading until it is right.
• After kneading the dough, place it under a dry kitchen towel to keep it warm. Immediately start making the gnocchi. This dough must be used right away. Cut a small piece off of the dough. Roll the piece into a "log" that is approximately 12 to 16 inches long. The log should be about 1/2-inch in diameter. You do not want it too wide or the gnocchi get too "fat." Cut the "log" into pieces about 1-inch long. You will end up with about 12 to16 gnocchi per log. The next step is to form the gnocchi.
• Take a fork in your left hand (if you are right handed), and hold it straight up with the tines facing towards the ceiling. With your index finger of your right hand, take 1 piece of gnocchi (the 1-inch pieces that you cut above), and starting at the top of the fork, roll the piece down the inside tine of the fork. This should be done with firm pressure (not too firm as to smash the gnocchi, but firm enough to roll the piece down the fork and leave an indentation on the gnocchi). When you get to the base of the tines, release the gnocchi and let it drop to a floured tray. The "completed" gnocchi should be marked with the fork tines on 1 side of it and have a slight indentation from your index finger on the other side of it. This shape and marking allow the pasta to "catch" the sauce when you serve it.
• Proceed with all of the dough and make each piece as directed. This goes very fast once you get the hang of it. Let the pasta sit on the floured trays on you counter until ready to serve. However, serving time should be within 4 to 5 hours of making the gnocchi. Otherwise they will dry out and get tough.
• To serve, boil the gnocchi in lots of boiling, salted water. As soon as the pasta rises to the top, it is done. (This is also very quick). Drain the cooked gnocchi in a colander or strainer. Place the cooked pasta in a serving platter and top/mix with the sauce.
• Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the chopped pancetta, red pepper flakes and parsley. Cook until the pancetta is cooked through and is slightly brown. Add the garlic; cook for another 2 minutes.
• Process the tomatoes with their juice in the food processor. Pulse the tomatoes briefly until they are coarsely chopped. You do not want them to puree. Add to the cooked ingredients in the saucepan. Add salt to taste. Continue cooking on a low simmer for about 1 hour until the sauce has reduced and is somewhat thicker. You can keep cooking this for up to 3 hours. The longer you cook it, the thicker and richer it becomes. If you cook it too long, add water to reduce the thickness and you reach the desired consistency.

SPINACH AND RICOTTA GNOCCHI WITH QUICK TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Unwrap the ricotta cheese from the cheesecloth; the texture should be pretty dry and crumbly. If it is really dry (this is good) pass it through the food mill with the biggest holes. Put the cheese into a large bowl.
• Finely chop the squeezed spinach and add it to the ricotta. Add the eggs, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and nutmeg. Mix until well combined. Taste and season with salt, if needed. Add in 1/4 cup of flour. If the mixture is still very wet, add in the remaining 1/4 cup of flour.
• Dust a sheet tray generously with flour. Coat another sheet tray generously with semolina flour. Fill a pastry bag with the ricotta/spinach mixture. Pipe 1 1/2-inch balls of the cheese mixture onto the all-purpose flour lined tray. Shake the tray around to coat the balls in flour. Roll each flour coated cheese piece around in your hand to form a ball. Do this gently so as to not squish the cheese balls. Arrange them on the semolina lined tray.
• Bring a saucepan full of water to a boil over medium heat. Set up a bowl of ice water. In the bottom of each tomato cut an "X" in the skin. Working in batches, put the tomatoes in the boiling water for 15 to 20 seconds ONLY! Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and put them immediately into the ice water. When the tomatoes have cooled, remove them from the ice water and the skin should come off very easily.
• Remove the stems and seeds from the tomatoes; coarsely chop the tomatoes and reserve.
• Coat a large straight-sided saute pan, over medium-high heat, with olive oil. Add the onions, season with salt, to taste. Toss in the crushed red pepper and cook the onions until they are soft and aromatic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and season with salt, to taste. Bring the tomato mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
• Toss in the basil just before serving.
• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat until the water is at a simmer. Carefully add the gnocchi to the simmering water. Cook until the gnocchi float and have begun to swell, 3 to 5 minutes.
• On individual serving plates, spoon some sauce on each plate and spread it out until it becomes a 4 to 5-inch circle.
• Using a spider or long handled mesh strainer, carefully remove the gnocchi from the cooking water, blot on a tea towel and arrange 5 gnocchi on each circle of sauce. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve.

RICOTTA GNOCCHI WITH MUSHROOMS AND MARJORAM

Steps:

• For gnocchi:
• Place ricotta in strainer set over medium bowl. Chill until ricotta has texture of wet clay, about 1 hour.
• Mix ricotta, 1/2 cup flour, egg, and next 5 ingredients in medium bowl, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls until dough is slightly sticky (do not add more than 4 tablespoonfuls). Cover and chill 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle rimmed baking sheet generously with flour. Transfer dough to lightly floured surface. Cut into 4 equal pieces. Using hands, roll 1 piece on floured surface into 3/4-inch-wide log. Cut log crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Place gnocchi on prepared baking sheet, spacing apart. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover gnocchi with plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• For sauce:
• Heat olive oil in large skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add chopped white and pale green parts of green onions. Sauté 1 minute. Add wine; stir until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth. Stir until sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• Working in 2 batches, add gnocchi to large pot of boiling salted water, stirring to prevent sticking. Boil until gnocchi rise to surface of water, then continue boiling until cooked through, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes longer. Using slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to skillet with mushrooms. Add sliced dark green parts of green onions.
• Rewarm mushrooms with gnocchi and green onions over medium heat, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Remove from heat. Add 1/4 cup cheese, butter, and marjoram; stir until cheese and butter melt. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to plates and sprinkle with additional cheese.

DELICIOUS AND SIMPLE RICOTTA AND TOMATO PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Firstly, put on a large pot of salted water and bring to the boil, add pasta to water and cook until'al dente' approximately 8- 10 minutes.
• While pasta is on the go, finely dice your onion and crush your garlic.
• In a saucepan, put in the olive oil, when the oil is warm, add your garlic and onion and gently saute these until they are transparent.
• Add the ricotta to the pan, and stir through the onions and garlic well.
• At this stage, add your salt and pepper, parmesan, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste.
• Mix well and let simmer gently for 10 minutes.
• Drain pasta.
• Turn the ricotta sauce off from the heat, add your fresh basil leaves, roughly torn, into the sauce.
• Dish up some pasta into a bowl, put some of the ricotta sauce on top of the pasta, and finish off with some extra shavings of parmesan if desired.