Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi

Gnocchi are small dumplings usually made from potato, semolina, or flour, most often served with a sauce. I just like to call them little bites of deliciousness. The process of making gnocchi is sooo super simple, you'll wonder why you haven't made them before. Give them a try and see if you don't start calling them little bites of deliciousness, too!

You will need:

• 1) 8oz container of ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp parsley flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup all purpose flour (plus another cup or two in case you need to add more along the way)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, add the ricotta, eggs, parm, garlic powder, parsley, and salt. Stir until mixed very well. Stir in the cup of flour, adding more flour along the way as needed to make a soft dough.
2. Divide the dough into 4 or 5 sections. Roll each section of dough into 1/2 inch thick ropes on a well floured surface.
3. Cut each rope into pieces that are about an inch long. Continue doing this until all pieces have been cut. (This can take a little while, so it's best to keep the already cut pieces in the fridge)
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the water is ready, drop about a handful or two of dough pieces into the water and immediately give them a stir so they don't stick to the bottom of the pot. These only take a minute or two to cook, so once they float to the top of the water, give them about another 30 seconds to a minute and remove them from the pot to a strainer. Repeat this step until all of your gnocchi have been cooked.

Now you can serve them fried up in a little butter and sprinkled with parmesan, or you can serve in a tomato sauce. If you're not especially worried about watching your carbs, this is great paired with a nice warm loaf of fresh baked bread.

 

These freeze wonderfully, too. Just lay them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze for 20 minutes or so. Then remove them and store them in a ziploc baggie. I try to always keep a bag or two in the freezer for a quick meal on a hectic night. 

This is a fantastic meal to get the kiddies in the kitchen and cooking with you. My 22 month old LOVES helping mix up doughs and mashing sweet potatoes for my sweet potato gnocchi. I'll post that gem of a recipe another day, but here is my sweetie pie, mashing away.