Quick and Easy Gnudi Recipe (Ricotta Gnocchi)

This isn’t the typical potato gnocchi but it is a lighter version made with ricotta, known as gnudi.

Simple Homemade Gnudi Recipe 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour

1 egg

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 tsp. salt

16 oz. ricotta cheese – I like to use creamy ricotta

Instructions: 

Mix all of the ingredients together.  The dough should be slightly sticky but you need to be able to handle it.  Add more flour about a tablespoon at a time if the dough is too sticky to handle.  

Put in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.  Separate the dough into quarters and roll each quarter out into a snake of dough that’s about 3/4 inch thick.  Using a good sharp knife (I prefer a dough scraper), cut these snakes into 1 inch pieces.  

Pro Tip: you can freeze some of the gnudi for future use.  I like to lay it on a tray or some other flat surface and freeze it until it’s solid enough to place into freezer bags.

To cook it, bring water with a touch of salt in it to a boil and add the gnudi.   The gnudi should begin to float on the surface of the water.  When they do, continue to cook for 2-3 minutes and they should be done!

An alternative to boiling is to pan fry the gnudi. This gives them a golden outer “crust” with the soft interior. 

Suggested sauce for the gnudi:  Spinach Pesto

Of course you can top the gnudi with your favorite pasta sauce, but here’s an option that I really like.

In a blender, process 1 cup spinach leaves (I prefer baby spinach for this) until chopped up and then pulse in:  1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 1/4 tsp. salt, 3 cloves of minced garlic, and 3 tsp. basil.  Blend in 1/4 cup olive oil until smooth and creamy.  This can be frozen or it will keep in the fridge for about a week.

Other favorite options – melted butter, lemon juice, black pepper, and Parmesan; brown butter and fresh sage leaves; olive oil, black pepper, and fresh basil leaves