Easy Ricotta Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce (Ñoquis de Ricota)

Why you’ll love it

• Faster than potato gnocchi: no boiling or mashing potatoes.
• Light and tender: ricotta makes soft, pillowy gnocchi.
• Simple ingredients: ricotta, flour, egg, cheese, nutmeg and tomato sauce.

Quick facts

Ingredients

• 1.1 lb (500 g) firm ricotta (about 2 cups)
• 6.3 oz (180 g) all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 egg
• 2.1 oz (60 g) grated hard cheese, such as Parmesan (about 2/3 cup)
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 cups (500 ml) tomato sauce
• 1 tsp salt

Step-by-step method

1. Drain the ricotta. Let the ricotta drain well for 20 minutes.

2. Make the dough. Mix the ricotta, egg, cheese, salt, nutmeg and flour without overworking the dough.

3. Shape. Roll the dough into ropes, cut into 3/4-inch (2 cm) pieces and shape the gnocchi.

4. Boil. Cook in plenty of salted boiling water until they float to the surface, then lift them out with a slotted spoon.

5. Serve. Serve right away with the hot tomato sauce.

Tips for the best result

• Add the flour a little at a time: a lighter dough makes more tender gnocchi.
• Draining the ricotta well means you need less flour, which keeps the gnocchi soft.
• Cook them in batches so the water keeps boiling and the gnocchi don’t stick together.

Storage and reheating

They are best eaten right away. Refrigerate leftovers with the sauce in a covered container for up to 2 days and reheat gently until hot all the way through, 165°F (74°C).