Ricotta Gnocchi

Ingredients

• 1 15 oz container part-skim ricotta
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 2 tablespoons finely snipped chives
• few grinds grated nutmeg
• pinch white pepper
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting board

Instructions

1. 1

   Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper and sprinkle with semolina flour.

2. 2

   In a bowl, combine all ingredients adding just enough flour for dough to hold together. It will be a bit sticky.

3. 3

   Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Cut dough into 6 portions.

4. 4

   With floured hands and using just enough flour to prevent the dough from sticking, roll each dough piece into a rope about ½-inch thick. Cut the rope into ½-inch pieces.

5. 5

   Roll each cut piece on the tines of a fork or a gnocchi board. Place on prepared baking sheet making sure gnocchi don’t touch each other. Cover and chill until ready to cook. Can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

6. 6

   Cook gnocchi in boiling salted water for about 1 minute or until they are floating.

7. 7

   Serve with lemon brown butter or bolognese sauce.

8. 8

   To make lemon-brown butter: melt 1 stick of unsalted butter over medium-low heat until it turns a toasty brown color, about 6 minutes. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, a tablespoon of snipped chives and a pinch of salt and ground pepper. Add gnocchi, tossing to coat. Serve immediately.

9. 9

   To make Bolognese: In stock pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add ½ cup each diced onion, small dice carrot and chopped celery; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until softened. Add 1-pound ground beef,* breaking up meat with a wooden spoon and cooking until no longer pink. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and few grind of pepper. Add 1-cup dry white wine. Increase heat to high and continue cooking until wine has evaporated. Add ½ cup of milk; cook until mixture again appears dry. Add 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes. Cook, uncovered, on very low heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.