Homemade “Gnocchi di Ricotta”
- mammalina3
- Jul 3
- 2 min read
Light, fluffy and incredibly satisfying, “Gnocchi di Ricotta” are a dreamy alternative to potato gnocchi – quicker to prepare, lighter and with a delicate texture that pairs beautifully with a wide range of sauces.
Whether you're making them for a Sunday lunch or a midweek treat, this recipe brings a taste of traditional Italian comfort food to your own kitchen.
Ingredients (serves 5–6)
200g strong white flour or “00” flour
125g semola flour*
500g fresh ricotta (well drained)
1 egg
50g grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp salt
* If you don’t have semola, you can use all strong flour or “00” flour instead.
Method
In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients, starting with a fork. Leave out a small handful of flour to add later as needed.
Once the mixture starts to come together, transfer it to a lightly floured work surface. Begin kneading with your hands, gradually incorporating the remaining flour until you have a soft, elastic dough.
Dust the surface and dough with a bit more flour if needed to prevent sticking.
Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough to about 2cm thick, then cut it into strips about 2cm wide.
Roll each strip into a rope approximately 1cm in diameter, then cut into small pillows (about 1cm in size – smaller gnocchi tend to cook and hold sauce better).
Some people will leave the gnocchi in pillow shape, but the traditional “gnocchi” (no matter if made with potatoes or ricotta) require carving, which makes them lighter and perfect to absorb the sauce once cooked. Using your index (or middle finger), press on the “pillow” curling it towards you. You can do this on the working surface, and your gnocco will be smooth, or you can use a gnocchi ridger, the reverse part of a lemon grater or a fork to get extra texture on the gnocco.
Dust with a little extra flour if the dough starts to feel sticky, and repeat the process until all the dough is shaped.
