Nonnie's Christmas Gift - Cheese Gnocchi

I’m sure many of you with a taste for the Italian cuisine have tried the tasty treat called “gnocchi”.  For those who may not have tried gnocchi, allow me to describe these tasty little morsels we used to call “pillow pasta” for their soft texture.

Traditional gnocchi are small, oblong bits of pasta made with potato dough.  That is, simple dough is made of flour, water, and mashed potatoes.  These are delicious as well, but not as simple to make, nor as light on the belly, as my Nonnie’s cheese gnocchi recipe.

Each Christmas I remember going to my Nonnie’s house and being overwhelmed with the aromas of panetone, zeppoli, all kinds of cookies and goodies, as well as the traditional ham or roast, baccala (dried cod fish), and gallons of tomato sauce.  But Nonnie would always wait for the kids to help her with our favorite treat:  Cheese gnocchi.

We would start with a big tub of ricotta cheese.  The ricotta was dumped into a large mixing bowl.  Then, the empty ricotta container was filled with flour.  An egg was added to the mix to bind it.  We also used to throw in a cup or so of fresh Parmesan cheese for flavor.  The ingredients were mixed as we put a large pot of salted water on to boil. 

Once mixed well, each of the grandchildren grabbed a handful of dough.  We placed a bit of flour on the countertop and began to roll out long, snake-like dowels.  Nonnie would then cut the dowels into little pieces, each about 1 inch in length. 

Then came the fun part!  We each rolled the gnocchi with a fork in order to create grooves in the pasta.  This was a great competition between us grandkids, to see who could make the perfect gnocchi without totally squishing them!  I now know, of course, that the grooves are designed to help the pasta hold just enough sauce for each bite.

By the time we were done rolling, the water had boiled.  We would dump the little dumplings into the water in batches.  No timer is needed, as once the gnocchi float to the top, they’re done.  We would scoop them out as they rose to the top, place them in a serving dish and baptize them with a bit of the sauce that had been simmering all day.  Delicious!

Each Christmas, I enjoy making this recipe and reminiscing about my family and the wonderful holiday gatherings we enjoyed.  I hope you try this simple, different recipe, and I hope it brings as much joy to your palate as it has to my life.

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

1 32 oz. Tub whole milk ricotta

32 oz. All purpose flour

1 egg

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Fill a large pot with salted water and place over high heat.  Place the ricotta in a large mixing bowl.  Fill the empty ricotta container with all purpose flower and dump into mixing bowl with ricotta, along with the egg and Parmesan cheese.  Mix thoroughly.  Take a handful of dough and, on a floured surface, roll the dough into long dowels, approximately ½ inch in diameter.  Cut the dowel into 1-inch pieces.  Gently roll each piece with a fork in order to create grooves in the gnocchi (optional).  Once water boils, place gnocchi in and boil until they float (approximately 2 minutes).  Remove with slotted spoon and place in a serving dish.  Top with your favorite sauce and enjoy!