Ricotta Gnocchi with Roasted Carrot Cream Sauce
So, this is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten…
And I can’t decide which part I like better: the homemade gnocchi, or the insane sauce. I pick both…together…and you can’t make me choose! Also, heads up, this post has 4 kajillion pictures—don’t say I didn’t warn ya!
Did you know that ricotta gnocchi is actually crazy easy to make at home? Yeah, for a while I didn’t either. But guess what? It takes like 15 minutes and you can freeze it to enjoy whenever you want! Woooo!
Traditional gnocchi uses potatoes but you can replace that with ricotta cheese for a fast and easy swap. Plus, I learned a cool trick to drain your ricotta lightening fast, so you don’t have to wait for it to slowly drip overnight.
Basically, you just smear the cheese onto paper towel, and press super hard on top with another paper towel. Things can get just a tad sticky if you’re using a super high-fat ricotta (by the way, you want to make sure you use a really good ricotta here) like I did, but it’s nothing a silicone spatula can’t handle!
The gnocchi are soft and pillowy and adorable, and you’ll definitely feel like Susie Homemaker after creating something so gourmet is just minutes.
You can serve them with any sauce you want (even a jarred marinara if you’re so inclined). I’ve served them super plain crisped up in a little lemon-herb compound butter (with a side of roasted sprouts because I’m a brussels sprout fiend…):
But I tend to prefer them with a creamy-ish sauce. It just makes them even more cloud-like! And this roasted carrot cream sauce? Maybe the best sauce on the planet. Fo. Real.
I mean, carrots and garlic roasted to perfection, then pureed with cream, some pasta water, and a bit of parmesan cheese? How can you top that?
It doesn’t hurt that it’s crazy simple to make, either! You should probably use it for every pasta you ever make now.
See what I’ve done here? I’ve provided you with two easy recipes that are great together, but also great to pair with other things 😀
PrintRicotta Gnocchi with Roasted Carrot Cream Sauce
Yield: about 4 servings
Ingredients:
for the ricotta gnocchi:
- 12 ounces really good ricotta cheese (I use Calabro)
- 1 ounce freshly-grated parmesan cheese
- 3 and 1/2 to 5 ounces all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- kosher salt and freshly-ground pepper
- semolina flour, for dusting
for the roasted carrot cream sauce:
- small bunch (6-8 ounces) carrots, scrubbed and tops cut off
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup cream
- 1/2 cup pasta water
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan, + more to serve
- chives, snipped to garnish
Directions:
for the ricotta gnocchi:
- Line a large plate with 3 layers of paper towel. Using a silicone spatula, smear the ricotta over the paper towel. Using 3 more layers of paper towel, press down firmly on the ricotta, blotting out as much moisture as possible.
- Scrape 8 ounces of the drained ricotta into a large bowl (reserve any extra for another use). Add in the parmesan, 3 and 1/2 ounces of flour, and the eggs. Stir to combine with your silicone spatula, and season with salt and pepper. The mixture should be sticky, but not at all loose. If needed, add in extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached (if you're using a really good ricotta, you shouldn't need to add any extra flour).
- Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, and dust with semolina flour; set aside.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Shape into a disc and divide into 4 equal pieces. Roll each quarter into a 6-inch log, then cut that log in half. Roll each half log into 12-inch log and cut into 8-10 gnocchi each. Place the gnocchi on the dusted baking sheet and shake them around just a bit. Now you can put the whole baking sheet in the freezer and freeze until solid, then transfer the gnocchi to a Ziplock baggie.
- To cook, cook in boiling water for about 4 and 1/2 minutes from frozen, and 3 minutes if fresh. Reserve some pasta water for your sauce!
for the roasted carrot cream sauce:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Toss together your carrots, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes, giving them a good shake half way through.
- Add the roasted carrots and garlic to your blender or food processor, along with the cream, parmesan, and 1/2 cup of pasta water (you can add more 1 tbsp at a time if you want it looser). Puree until you reach your desired consistency (I like to keep it just a tad chunky). Toss with your hot gnocchi or pasta.
- Serve garnished with some chives and a bit more parmesan. Prepare to be wowed with deliciousness!
gnocchi recipe from here
