Seeing as how it’s now the 14th of the month and all…
Some time ago, I joined the newly formed Daring Cooks branch of The Daring Kitchen, hoping to push my culinary limits. It looked fun, and I had figured that it’d be the perfect thing to make me cook stuff I normally wouldn’t even think of cooking. (To the other cooks on my f-list, all I can say is this: Join me in my madness? If you sign up now, you’ll probably be in time to receive the second – June 2009’s – challenge. *g*)
The first challenge was ricotta gnocchi, taken from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook:
Ricotta Gnocchi with Smoked Salmon and Dill Cream Sauce
As recipes went, this one was quite simple. It required:
– 1 pound (454 grams/16 ounces) fresh ricotta (2 cups)
– 2 large cold eggs, lightly beaten
– 1 tablespoon (½ ounce) unsalted butter, melted
– ½ ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (about ¼ cup very lightly packed)
– about ¼ teaspoon salt (a little more if using kosher salt)
– all-purpose flour for forming the gnocchi
– any seasoning you might like for the gnocchi, purely optional
Drain the ricotta; the dryer your ricotta is, the better it’ll work. Mash it up and add everything else save the flour, mixing it well into a soft and fluffy batter. Scoop bits into a bed of flour and shape. Boil (about 3-5 minutes after they begin to float) in salted water. It is recommended you cook a test gnocchi (it should not break apart when you boil it; if it does, your ricotta’s too wet, and you’ll have to remedy it by adding more egg white to the batter) before making the rest.
Clockwise from top left: (1) draining the ricotta, (2) mixing the batter,
(3) shaping the gnocchi, (4) all lined up before I chucked them into the fridge to set.
First, draining the ricotta. Oh, the pain, the pain. Now you know why I was after cheesecloth. Having failed to find any, I resorted to using kitchen roll. Straining it overnight proved insufficient, so I wound up pressing it between two plates on the day itself. I think more than half a kitchen roll was used on just 250g of ricotta. Am feeling vaguely guilty about the forests now. Fortunately, my test gnocchi didn’t break apart, so I guess I got the straining-of-ricotta bit correct.
I flavoured my gnocchi batter with sage and a lot of lemon zest. Emphasis on “a lot”. Possibly too much. Eaten boiled and plain, the lemon was a little overwhelming. However, I thought it worked very well with a cream sauce, and that was all I cared about. It also worked immensely well when the gnocchi were fried. Puffs of cheesy, lemony goodness. Mmm.
The recipe actually called for much larger gnocchi, 2 to 3 teaspoons of batter rolled in flour and shaped into oval lumps ball-like things. However, there was just something about the, well, huge lumps which bothered me. So I took a few liberties. Slightly less than one teaspoon of batter to a gnocchi, dusted with flour and rolled along the back of the tines of a fork to get those typical gnocchi ridges. Smaller, and hopefully slightly prettier. When I was done, I shoved the lot into the fridge for about an hour or so to set.
Since I had already gone through the hassle of making the gnocchi, I figured I may as well go all the way out, ditching the dozen and one shortcuts I often use and doing a proper cream sauce “the correct way” instead.
For the sauce, I started with a roux, and built it with milk and white wine. Into it went smoked salmon (lovely, lovely smoked salmon trimmings from Tesco’s, one large-ish packet for less than a pound) and plenty of fresh dill (thus my current excess of fresh dill), with black pepper to finish it off.
To go with the gnocchi and the sauce, I also toasted some pine nuts, and lightly stir-fried a mix of courgette/zuchinni ribbons (which was how I had managed to cut myself with a vegetable peeler), quartered cherry tomatoes, and sliced mushrooms.
The gnocchi in the two “finished” pictures were boiled (speaking of which, do you prefer the first or the second picture?). However, if you do make these, I strong recommend lightly pan-frying them instead. I’ve said it above, and I shall say it again – wonderful, wonderful puffs of cheesy, lemony goodness. Works better with cream sauces too.
I do love gnocchi and have fond childhood memories of helping my mate Franco’s mother to make stacks of them.
These look very yummy indeed and I think making them smaller was a very good call. I can’t help thinking they’d be a big on the dough-y side in the middle if they were larger. Interesting that there’s no potato in them.
I think the first picture is more appetizing looking, something about the way the light is hitting the dish and the clearer view of the ridges on the gnocchi. It has richer colours.
Reading the other posts about this, I’m glad I made them smaller too. I think I’d have been a tad overwhelmed if they’d been larger.
Apparently, there’re two kinds of gnocchi about. The more common potato one, and the ricotta one. There’re people saying that they’re not quite as fond of these because they lack the, hm, substance?, of the potato ones they like, and there’re people who love these for their light and fluffy texture. I think I belong to the latter camp – I could never finish a dish of potato gnocchi on my own on account of their stodginess!
And thanks for the feedback. ♥
Franco’s mum was Sicilian, which meant tiny little potato gnocchi came in a light olive oil/garlic sauce… Not too heavy at all, particularly as it was only part of a larger meal.
*sighs* I want to come live with you or take cooking lessons from you. Every photo you post of food makes me hungry!! ^___________~
7hearts;
Hee! I’m glad to hear that. Making people hungry is good! *g* (Though not too hungry, I hope?)
I’d be more than glad to send you the full pdf version of the recipe, if you want. Just drop me a PM with your e-mail address or something. Reading the posts, people’ve been having mixed reactions. Some (like me) adore it. I adored it because it was light and fluffy and not at all stodgy; I can never finish potato gnocchi because of its stodginess. Others didn’t like it because it wasn’t like potato gnocchi at all. *g* But I think they’re fabulous, though, so you should definitely try them if possible.
I’m amazed how beutifully you were able to shape your gnocchi consiering the batter was so delicate. Also, I love the salmon with it! Awesome job!
Thank you! I admit shaping the first few gnocchi was slightly tricksy, but it went fine after that. I’m glad they turned out well.
Aha, gnocci! I’ve been meainging to look up a recipe for ages! Thank yooouuuu! 😀 Looks yummyyummyyummy!
(First picture.)
I’ve the pdf version of the full recipe. I could send it to you, if you like. Just drop me a PM with your e-mail in it, or something. :3
You should definitely make them. I’ve heard some people complain about them being a little too eggy, but I didn’t notice it. Probably because of the lemon I used (the zest of one lemon to 250g of ricotta)! I think I prefer these to all the other potato gnocchi I’ve ever tried, because they’re so much lighter. 😀
*____*!!! that looks amazing. (however, the words ‘lovely’ and ‘smoked salmon trimmings from Tesco’s’ do not go together, in my mind.)
i prefer the first photo; the angle’s a bit too skewed in the second.
(however, the words ‘lovely’ and ‘smoked salmon trimmings from Tesco’s’ do not go together, in my mind.)
haha. but yes it looks really good.
ahahaha. *points below to her explanation to jan’s comment*
cheers!
(it is lovely in that it’s cheap, and it serves its purpose. i wouldn’t use it for sandwiches, though! to be honest, i hadn’t even the faintest clue what i’d serve the gnocchi with as i combed tesco’s for cheese cloth. then, purely by chance, i noticed the smoked salmon trimmings, and everything just fell into place just like that, in the middle of the supermarket aisle too. *g*)
you’re too kind, jan. really. *_*
and thanks for the feedback!
Beautiful photo and gnocchi
One of the best photos of gnocchi I have ever seen. And your choice of flavours is inspired. The dish just looks so so inviting and the way you formed the gnocchi is so professional. Bravo on your 1st DCooks’ challenge. I also loved these little clouds of yummmmmmm!!!! Cheers from Audax in Australia.
Re: Beautiful photo and gnocchi
Thank you! You’re too kind, really. 🙂
And yes – clouds! That’s what they’re like. I love this recipe. The gnocchi produced were light and fluffy and simply wonderful.
yum
that looks amazing! Love the combination of salmon and dill.
http://www.mangotomato.blogspot.com
Re: yum
Thanks! Salmon and dill’s an amazing combination which I don’t think I’ll ever tire of. Especially when there’s lemon thrown in. 😉
Your dish looks fabulous. Love your sauce additions..especially the smoked salmon. I bet it tasted awesome.
I’m probably being frowned at by purists for even sort-of cooking smoked salmon, but I love the smoky flavour it gives to dishes. *sheepish grin* Thank you!
beautiful
Thank you!
Absolutely gorgeous. Love the sauce especially! And the gnocchi are so beautifully shaped!
Thank you! I had fun being creative with both the gnocchi and the sauce. 🙂
Mmm I love the smoked salmon and dill combo, and your photos are beautiful!
Thank you! And I adore the combination of salmon and dill too. It can never go wrong, especially when lemon’s tossed into the mix too. 🙂
The first photo
Forgot to mention that I like the 1st pix I like the contrast of the cooked dish and the dill/tomatoes. Thanks for the nice comments on my blog I will be visiting your blog now I really like it VERY COOL
Re: The first photo
Hee. Thanks for the feedback! And aw, shucks. *scuffs foot on ground* I’m flattered, I really am! 🙂
yum! brilliant colours really – the tomatoes, the dill, courgettes. it must taste fantastic!!
one challenge in the bag! congratssss 😀
thanks! now for the second one…
my goodness! your cooking is getting more and more amazing at a truly alarming rate! that looks really fantastic!! D:: *bows to the great elsieinthekitchen*
(and the 1st one is nicer. the tomatoes are too cute. <3)
((and as usual, my comments are super belated. hah.))
guo jiang le, seriously. :X
(and ahahaha. punctuality’s overrated anyway.)