I love gnocchi, it’s just so comforting and delicious. And honestly, it’s pretty easy to make. You don’t need a pasta maker and it has relatively few ingredients. Traditional gnocchi just has potato, egg, and flour, but in this version I add lemon zest and ricotta cheese for extra flavor and creaminess. It pairs so well with spring vegetables and a simple garlic butter sauce. Squeeze some lemon juice and add goat cheese crumbles on top and you’ve got the best spring or summer dinner.
I used asparagus and snap peas in this because I just cannot get enough of either of them right now, but you can use whatever vegetable that’s in season or whatever you’re in the mood for. But I do recommend taking advantage of the asparagus and peas that are in season right now because they’re such a great combination with the lemon and ricotta in the gnocchi.
The great thing about homemade gnocchi is it tastes like such a fancy, complicated dish but it really couldn’t be easier to make. The key is that you want to cook the potatoes without adding a lot of moisture to them. You don’t want to peel and boil them like you would for mashed potatoes. I recommend baking them or steaming them with the skins on.
Whether you’re entertaining, looking for a date night in recipe, or just want to try something new, this gnocchi is for you!
- 3 russet potatoes
- 2½ cups flour
- 1½ cups ricotta cheese
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 1 bunch asparagus, ends removed, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 8 oz. snap peas, halved
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 4 oz. goat cheese
- Cook potatoes by either steaming them with the skins on or baking them. You want as little moisture as possible to enter the potatoes, so I do not recommend peeling and boiling them. Set aside to cool.
- Once cool, use a potato ricer to rice the potatoes. You need to do this instead of mashing them to get a fine texture. Add potatoes, flour, ricotta, lemon juice, and salt to a large bowl. Mix to combine.
- Place some flour on your countertop and turn the potato mixture onto it. Use your hands to break off about a quarter of the dough. Roll the dough with your hands back and forth on the floured surface to form a rope about 1 inch in diameter. Use a bench scraper or knife to cut the dough into 1-1½ inch pieces and transfer to a floured rimmed baking sheet. Repeat until all the gnocchi is made.
- In a large skillet, Head olive oil and butter. Add asparagus, peas, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook for a few minutes until tender.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add gnocchi in batches. When they float, they are done cooking. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the skillet with the vegetables. Repeat until all gnocchi is cooked, then gently toss with the vegetables.
- Serve immediately topped with lemon juice and goat cheese.
- Enjoy!
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