Ricotta Gnocchi with Aspargus and Creamy Pesto

I have been wanting to make gnocchi for a long time now, so yesterday I gave D his dinner choices - lucky for me he went with gnocchi. I had three potatoes that were leftover from the previous week and needed to use them so I figured - why not try! Luckily I had also bought Ricotta at Whole Foods as a back up in the event the potatoes were not giving the gnocchi the proper texture (freshness, size, type of potato all affects gnocchi texture and I did not want them to be too dense). Glad I had my back up, because come to find out that the potatoes had gone all sorts of bad. Into the trash they went and out came the Ricotta. I really had so much fun making this dish (and the mess that was a side product) and it turned out wonderfully the very first time! Ironically enough, we had just had gnocchi at Sullivan's - mine was better (we both agreed). It probably could have been a little more light and airy but overall, for the first time, it was light and not rubbery at all. D got seconds of BOTH dishes I served last night - which does not usually happen - so I guess he really, really liked it?

Ricotta Gnocchi
Serves 6 (small portions) or serves 2-3 and leaves half recipe for freezing

• One 16 Ounce Container of Ricotta (I used Part Skim, feel free to use whole)
• 1/2 cup flour ( you will likely need more but start with this and add a tablespoon at a time - the idea is to use as little as possible)
• 1/2 tbsp salt
• One egg
• One cup finely grated Parmesan, Pecorino, or Grana Padano

Dough Making
Line a strainer with a cheese cloth. Add the ricotta and let the cheese drain for about an hour. (This can be done several days in advance - this only really needs to be done if you have a particularly watery ricotta - I only needed about five minutes because my ricotta was more firm and I wanted to eat before 10 pm!). In a large bowl, mix the strained ricotta, egg, cheese, and 1/2 cup of the flour until all ingredients are incorporated. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Check the dough by rolling a bit in your hand. If it clings to your fingers, incorporate more flour one tablespoon at a time until you reach a tacky, workable consistency. Refrigerate for another 15 minutes. On the stove, bring water to a boil (salted).

Shaping 
Shaping can be done one of two ways depending on your tools and your preference. Sprinkle a baking sheet with flour and set it close to your work space. Sprinkle your hands and work surface with a little flour.

1) Put dough into a disposable piping bag with 5/8th inch tip (or whatever size that you have or prefer). Pipe out half inch pieces of dough and cut at the top with a sharp knife. To make grooved gnocchi, roll the "Pillow" against the back of a fork with your thumb. Place on a floured surface until all gnocchi are formed.

2) Break off a tennis-ball sized piece of the dough and roll it into a thick log about 3/4-inch thick. Cut the log into 3/4" pieces. Shape them by rolling the "pillows" off the back of a fork with your thumb.
Transfer this batch to the baking sheet and toss with flour to prevent sticking. Repeat rolling process with the remaining dough.

Cooking
Bring salted water to a rolling boil. Gently drop the gnocchi into the boiling water - they will sink to the bottom. Once they bob to the surface, they are cooked. Remove gnocchi with a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander set over a bowl to finish draining. Repeat with second batch of gnocchi. Toss the gnocchi with sauce and serve immediately.

The Whole Dish - The Sauce from last night was a creamy pesto because I had leftover basil pesto and it is well...divine.

• 3 cups Ricotta Gnocchi
• 3/4 pound Fresh asparagus, steamed to slightly undercooked and cut into one inch pieces
• Handful of Shaved Parmesan Cheese
• Handful of torn basil (optional)
• 1/3 cup Basil Pesto (more to taste or quantity available)
• 2-3 tbsp cream, whole milk or half and half
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste 

In a large skillet, combine cream, pesto, asparagus, and fresh pepper (if you have minced garlic or shallot you need to use throw it in but it is not necessary) and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Gently toss the gnocchi with the sauce, coating well. Remove from heart. Garnish with Cheese, basil, and pepper to taste and serve immediately. 


* You can freeze leftover gnocchi for up to a month. Frozen gnocchi can be dropped directly into boiling water for an easy weeknight meal.
**There are so many variations for this dish that I cannot list them. I plan on making different types of gnocchi and experimenting with different sauces and veggies! Will post those as I make them.