Recipe of The Month

Gnocchi di Ricotta

serves 6

Ingredients:

• 32 oz RICOTTA CHEESE (4 CUPS)
• 8 oz FLOUR (1.5 CUP) PLUS ADDITIONAL TO DUST THE GNOCCHI
• 48 oz YUKON GOLD POTATOES
• 12 each EGG YOLK
• 3 oz PARMESAN CHEESE (1/4 CUP)
• ADDITIONAL PARMESAN TO SPRINKLE
• 4 oz BUTTER
• SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE

Directions:

BOIL THE POTATOES SKIN ON UNTIL SOFT. COOL TO ROOM TEMPERATURE. PEEL THE POTATOES AND MASHED THEM WITH A POTATO RISER

IN A BOWL, WITH A WOODEN SPOON, MIX THE RICOTTA CHEESE, EGG YOLKS, PARMESAN, AND POTATOES, SALT AND WHITE GROUND PEPPER

IN A STOCK POT BRING WATER AND SALT TO BOIL (6 QT WATER – 2 TBS SALT). ADD FLOUR AND KNEAD THE DOUGH WITH YOUR HANDS UNTIL IT COMES TOGETHER AND IT’S SMOOTH. CUT THE DOUGH IN 9 PIECES (BATCHES OF 3). SPRINKLE FLOUR ON A FLAT SURFACE AND ROLL EACH PIECE OF DOUGH INTO A SNAKE’S SHAPE, THE THICKNESS OF YOUR INDEX FINGER. CUT IN 1” PIECES AND REPEAT THE PROCESS WITH EACH BATCH. SLOWLY DROP THEM INTO THE BOILING WATER AND COOK UNTIL THEY COME AFLOAT . WITH A SKIMMER, REMOVE AND LAY THEM IN A COOKIE SHEET DRIZZLED WITH VEGETABLE OIL. REPEAT WITH UNTIL THE DOUGH IS FINISHED

BEFORE YOUR GUESTS ARRIVE HAVE SOME CLEAN BOILING WATER WITH SALT WAITING FOR THE DELICIOUS GNOCCHI TO BE RE-HEATED. WHEN YOUR GUESTS ARE READY TO EAT, DROP THE GNOCCHI INTO THE WATER. IN A SAUCE PAN COOK THE BUTTER AND SAGE LEAVES UNTIL IT STARTS TO TURN CLEAR AND SLIGHTLY BROWN. WHEN THE GNOCCHI COME AFLOAT REMOVE THEM WITH A SKIMMER, LAY THEM IN A SERVING PLATTER, COVER THEM WITH ABUNDANT PARMESAN CHEESE, POUR OVER THE BROWN BUTTER AND SAGE. SERVE IMMEDIATELY

YOU MAY WANT TO SERVE ALONG THE GNOCCHI A VARIETY OF ADDITIONS: TOMATO SAUCE, DICED FRESH TOMATO, CREAM SAUCES OR CRUMBLES OF BLUE CHEESE. USE YOU IMMAGINATION TO BRIGHTEN THE DISH AND TO ADD YOUR PERSONAL TOUCH