Does preparing gnudi, or Italian ricotta gnocchi, seem impossible to you?
They’re actually an easy pasta dinner that anyone can make. If you love gnocchi be sure to check out this potato-free ricotta gnocchi recipe and you’ll probably love these too. The only real difference is that gnocchi are made with potatoes and gnudi are made with ricotta, which makes them even more tender, light and meaty.
Today I decided to season them with COURGETTES and SHRIMP for a light first course but full of flavor, also suitable as a single dish.
These gnocchi without potatoes with ricotta due to their delicate, almost neutral taste, adapt to any type of seasoning: butter and sage, a simple tomato sauce, basil pesto, SORRENTINA style with mozzarella and tomato sauce,
INGREDIENTS needed to prepare GNOCCHI without POTATOES
INGREDIENTS GNOCCHI dough
SEASONING INGREDIENTS
- Power 613,68 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 52,22 (g) of which sugars 2,43 (g)
- Proteins 40,98 (g)
- Fat 28,50 (g) of which saturated 15,95 (g)of which unsaturated 9,53 (g)
- Fibers 8,21 (g)
- Sodium 1.090,35 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 125 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
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HOW TO MAKE RICOTTA GNOCCHI
This recipe for RICOTTA GNUDI HOME MADE includes 00 FLOUR, if due to intolerance you wish to prepare RICOTTA GNOCCHI gluten-free replace all-purpose flour with buckwheat flour or gluten-free flour.
GNUDI RICOTTA DOUGH
Place ricotta in a bowl and work with a fork to soften. Add egg, parmesan and a pinch of salt, start mixing with a fork. As soon as the mixture is mixed, start incorporating flour, a little at a time, until it is completely incorporated. If you prefer you can work on a lightly floured table.
HOW TO MAKE RICOTTA GNUDI
Work the dough until it becomes elastic and homogeneous. Form a ball and divide into 4 parts with a knife. Take one of the 4 portions, flour your hands and roll the dough gently until it forms a stick with a diameter of approximately 1.5 maximum 2 cm. Using a knife, cut out small pieces of about 1.5 cm in length which will be your gnocchi, trying to make them all the same size.
PREPARATION OF SEASONING FOR ZUCCHINI AND SHRIMP
Before starting, put a pan with plenty of lightly salted water on the heat and bring to the boil (it will be used to cook gnocchi). Then prepare seasoning. Clean courgettes: remove the ends and cut courgettes into thin strips. Heat a drizzle of oil in a pan, add courgettes, season with salt and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Clean shrimp: remove head and shell then rinse under running water. Add prawns to the pan with courgettes and cook for 2 minutes until cooked. Turn off and leave aside.
COOK RICOTTA GNOCCHI
As soon as the water boils, pour in the ricotta gnocchi and cook for about 4 minutes. Generally when they are cooked they come to the surface. Drain gnocchi directly into the pan with seasoning. Stir gently to combine and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Serve immediately sprinkled with fresh chopped parsley.
ALTERNATIVE SEASONINGS
Another condiment I recommend is a tasty cheese sauce. To prepare it you have to melt the cheese in a saucepan in a bain-marie together with half its weight of half and half.
STORAGE
Gnocchi without potatoes can be frozen freshly made and not yet cooked. All you need to do is first place them on a tray well spaced apart in the freezer and as soon as they have hardened you can transfer them into freezer bags. Once cooked and seasoned, it is advisable to eat them immediately.
TIPS AND VARIATIONS
FLOUR 00: If you prefer a more rustic taste you can replace part of the flour with buckwheat. The most suitable proportions for substitution are: 180 g buckwheat flour + 70 g of 00 flour instead of 240 g of 00 flour.
RICOTTA: For the recipe for Gnocchi without potatoes, purchase cow’s milk ricotta. Before using it, transfer it to a narrow mesh strainer placed over a bowl so that it loses excess water, otherwise it could ruin the dough.
PARMESAN: do not omit this ingredient because in addition to giving the Gnocchi a good taste, it allows you to obtain the right consistency to the mixture.
WHAT SEASONING FOR GNOCCHI WITHOUT POTATOES
The delicate and almost neutral taste of Gnocchi with Potatoes goes well with many condiments. Starting from a simple tomato sauce, to WALNUT SAUCE, or Genoese BASIL PESTO, up to richer and more elaborate condiments. If you love stronger flavours, try enjoying them with a cream cheese or SORRENTINA style with mozzarella and tomato sauce. A good Neapolitan ragù or a sausage ragù are equally valid ideas.
WHERE GNOCCHI WITHOUT POTATOES ORIGINATED
The world is divided between those who love very soft gnocchi and those who love them more firm. For those who fall into the second category, it is better to rely on your grandmother’s recipe for gnocchi without potatoes, which are very popular in Southern Italy. Their peculiarity lies precisely in the consistency, that is, that of remaining pleasantly full-bodied (not hard) and firm when tasted. In addition to being a traditional recipe, making gnocchi without potatoes is also an excellent solution if you don’t have potatoes at home or if you don’t have the time (or desire) to boil them. Quick and simple, with very few ingredients, but a guaranteed success.
VARIANTS OF GNOCCHI WITHOUT POTATOES
Even if the term gnocchi immediately refers us to the classic POTATO GNOCCHI, there are many variations that do not involve the use of potatoes in the dough, starting with ROMANA GNOCCHI, which are prepared with semolina and water and cooked in the oven with butter, grated cheese and nutmeg.
Many regional recipes are prepared with stale bread, these are poor recipes that come from tradition and from a past in which it was inconceivable to waste leftovers: this is probably how the famous SPECK CANEDERLI from Trentino were born which include old bread in the dough as well as other ingredients such as milk, speck, grated cheese and eggs.
Varied doses for servings