How to make homemade gnocchi in 30 minutes
Making homemade gnocchi on a weeknight may seem like an impossible task. And if you’re talking about homemade potato gnocchi, you’d be right. Potato gnocchi can take up to two hours and quite a bit of know-how. But ricotta gnocchi, its cheesy cousin, is easier, simpler and — most importantly — quicker to get on the table. You can, in fact, cook this dish in 30 minutes. You just need to multitask.
Multitasking makes 30-minute ricotta gnocchi possible
There are three basic steps to making ricotta gnocchi: make and shape the dough, boil the gnocchi and combine them with sauce. To get this dish on the table in 30 minutes or less, you’ll want to make the dough while the water heats, then start the sauce while the gnocchi boils so that it’s ready for the hot gnocchi when they come out of the water. None of these tasks is particularly difficult on its own, but if it feels like too much to multitask, you can make the sauce after draining the gnocchi, but know that you may go a bit over the 30-minute mark.
How to drain ricotta quickly for the fluffiest gnocchi
The biggest challenge in making ricotta gnocchi is controlling the moisture. Too much and the gnocchi come out dense and chewy; too little and the dough won’t come together. Depending on the brand, ricotta cheese can contain different amounts of liquid, so the best way to ensure consistency is to drain it before making the dough.
Some recipes suggest draining the cheese in the refrigerator overnight, but that is a no-go for a 30-minute recipe. Instead, use this trick from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt: Drain the ricotta in less than a minute on paper towels (or a thin, clean dishcloth). Simply spread the cheese in an even layer on paper towels, add some more towels on top, and press firmly to remove the liquid. Then simply scrape the cheese into a mixing bowl.
Yes, you can make ricotta gnocchi with just four ingredients (and salt)
In addition to the drained ricotta, all you need for gnocchi is flour, grated Parmesan cheese and eggs. These mix together quickly into a dough that’s malleable but still lightly sticky. The dough should be dry enough that you can handle it, but not so dry that it crumbles when rolled. Think: slightly wet Play-Doh.
Once mixed, knead the dough gently on a floured work surface before rolling it into eight foot-long snakes. Cutting the snakes into gnocchi is as simple as slicing with a knife or bench scraper into 1- to 1 1/2-inch-long pieces. Save some time by nestling each snake up against the other, then slicing through the whole batch at once.
How you know the ricotta gnocchi are cooked
By the time you’re done mixing and shaping the dough, the cooking water should be boiling. Add the gnocchi all at once, along with a cup of frozen peas (no need to thaw them first). The peas add a colorful vegetable to the dish, turning the gnocchi into a full meal. Both take around 3 minutes to cook through. But instead of setting a timer for the full cook time, wait until the gnocchi start to float; this is an indication that the water inside is turning to steam. Once they’re floating, set a timer for 1 minute, then drain the gnocchi and peas. Be sure to scoop out 1/2 cup of the cooking water right before draining; you’ll need this for the sauce.
The best ricotta gnocchi sauce is the simplest — browned butter
In order to let the ricotta gnocchi shine, it’s best to serve them in a very simple sauce. Luckily, a simple sauce also saves time and ingredients. All that’s needed is a stick of butter and the reserved gnocchi cooking liquid.
Start browning the butter when you add the gnocchi to the boiling water. Keep an eye on it and remove it from the heat if it browns before the gnocchi are finished. Once the butter is golden brown and smells very nutty, add the pasta cooking water to stop the browning process. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then add the drained gnocchi and peas. The starchy simmering cooking water and butter will mingle with each other as you stir to form a creamy, emulsified sauce around the gnocchi in a matter of minutes.
Ricotta Gnocchi with Peas and Browned Butter
- Kosher salt
- 1 1/3 cups (12 ounces) ricotta cheese, preferably whole milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more as needed for the dough and work surface
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup frozen peas, unthawed
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
- While the water is heating, line a plate or sheet pan with three layers of paper towels or a clean, thin dishcloth. Spread ricotta into a thin layer over the paper towels, then top with a second layer of three towels. Press firmly to remove excess water.
- Scrape the ricotta from the towels and transfer it to a large bowl. Add the flour, Parmesan cheese, eggs and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix with a rubber spatula until the dough comes together in a coherent, yet still slightly sticky mass, about 1 minute. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you can comfortably roll it into a ball.
- Transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Form the mixture into a disc, then divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a snake about 12 inches long. Place the snakes parallel to each other. Use a knife or bench scraper to cut the snakes into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces. Dust with flour and then toss gently to coat.
- Add the gnocchi and the peas to the boiling water. Return to a boil, gently stirring the gnocchi to prevent sticking. When the gnocchi start to float, set a timer for 1 minute. Carefully remove 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the gnocchi and peas.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to cook the butter, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and nutty, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the reserved 1/2 cup cooking water to the butter, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Stir in the gnocchi and peas. Cook, stirring constantly, until the butter and water form a sauce around the gnocchi, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately, topped with additional Parmesan cheese.
Serves 4.
