Bless Donna's little heart. I'm exhausted, hurt all over, and the tequila is making me forget what I need to do tonight, but there's a recipe in the file to post, complete with pictures. All I have to do is download the pics, and copy and paste the recipe. God love you, Donna. Wait. I think I said that already. Sort of. . .Like I told her when she sent me this recipe, I've never made anything with Gnocchi before. But I'm willing to give it a go!
Donna writes:
Cheryl, This recipe is authentic Italian recipe passed down generations of my old friend Angelina Pucci's family.
Secret: Be sure to strain the Ricotta Cheese, by placing it in strainer over bowl in frigerator for 30 min. previous to making Gnocchi.
Ingredients(serves 5)
serve with a nice glass of Sangiovese or Negroni Cocktail
Gnocchi:
- 1 (8 ounce) container ricotta cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, or as needed
- Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 dash crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 6 basil leaves, finely shredded
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small chunks
Directions
- Stir together the ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan Cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl until evenly combined. Mix in 1 cup of flour. Add additional flour if needed to form a soft dough.
- Divide the dough into 3 or 4 pieces, and roll into 1/2-inch-thick ropes on a floured surface. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces, and place on a lightly floured baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, and cook until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in diced tomatoes and red pepper flakes; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in shredded basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- While sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Boil the gnocchi until they float to the surface, 1 to 2 minutes, then drain.
- To assemble the dish, stir the cubed mozzarella cheese into the sauce and allow the heat of the sauce to soften, but not melt the cheese. Place gnocchi into a serving bowl, and spoon sauce overtop.
- Serve with a Salad and Crusty bread
