Homemade pasta can be overwhelming. Not gnocchi, though — it’s super easy. Anyone can make these delicious Italian dumplings.

There are two kinds of gnocchi: one made with mashed Russet potatoes and the other with whole milk ricotta cheese.

This is my homemade ricotta Gnocchi With Artichoke, Basil, and Lemon.

Below, I show two ways to drain any excess liquid from the ricotta cheese. Either way is perfectly fine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Yields: 2 to 4 servings
Equipment: 1 (6-quart) sauce pot, rimmed baking sheet pan, chef’s knife, large mixing bowl, rubber spatula, Microplane,1 (12-inch) sautè pan, bench scraper, gnocchi board (substitute a dinner fork), mini food processor, mesh sieve, cheesecloth

Ingredients:
2 (15-ounce) containers of whole milk ricotta, drained well of excess water
1 teaspoon of Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups of “00” flour, more if needed
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter, unsalted
4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 (14-ounce) can of quartered artichoke hearts, drained and dried well
1 tablespoon of lemon zest
3 tablespoons (1 to 2 lemons) of fresh lemon juice
8 fresh basil leaves, julienned
1 cup of freshly ground/grated Pecorino Romano cheese, reserve 1/2 cup for serving

Line a mesh sieve with cheesecloth. Transfer the ricotta to the lined bowl. Set the mesh sieve over a slightly larger bowl. Transfer to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Allow as much of the liquid to drain from the ricotta into the bowl. You want the ricotta to be as dry as possible.

Dust your work surface liberally with flour. Place the ricotta ball on top of the flour. Add 1/2 cup of freshly ground Pecorino, salt, and egg yolks. Mix, just to combine. Next, add the flour 1/2 cup at a time while working it into the ricotta mixture. If the mixture is too wet, add more flour as needed. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and transfer to the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Once ready to make the gnocchi, move the dough/ricotta mixture to the side. Using a bench scraper, cut approximately (refer to the picture above) 1 cup of the mixture off from the dough/ricotta mixture. Roll the ricotta mixture into 1/2-inch thick ropes. Again, using the bench scraper (or knife), cut the ropes into 1/2-inch pieces.

This is optional. I’m using a “gnocchi board” (substitute a fork) to make ridges in the pasta. This will help the sauce cling to the gnocchi. After I’ve cut the gnocchi, I roll each one on the board to make ridges in the pasta. You need to work quickly here because you do not want the gnocchi to start to get a “gummy’ texture. Transfer the gnocchi to a rimmed baking sheet and freeze until ready to use.

Using a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the artichoke hearts, stirring frequently, and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon zest and juice, and fresh ground black pepper. Remove the pan from the heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter; stir until the butter is completely combined. Next, add 1/2 of the grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and stir to thicken the sauce.

In a large (6-quart) pot of boiling salted water, carefully drop in the gnocchi. As soon as the gnocchi begin to float, remove them using a spider (or slotted spoon) and add them to the sauce. Finish by adding the fresh julienned basil to the pan and stirring to combine.

To serve, add a good helping to a porcelain serving bowl. Sprinkle each serving evenly with the remaining Pecorino cheese. Serve hot.

There you have it, my Gnocchi With Artichoke, Basil, and Lemon.

Notes:
1) Once you’ve made the gnocchi dough, I like to refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before cutting.

2) It’s essential to prep all your ingredients first, such as freshly ground cheese, garlic, artichokes, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and finely, have your pot of water ready to go on the stove.

3) This dish requires the best quality ingredients you can find for the best result.

4) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2015/08/29/gnocchi-with-italian-sausage-and-porcini-ragu/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/