by Mitch Samples

We are cooking today, not baking so our recipes are guides, not chemical formulas that need to be followed exactly to achieve success. Aside from the key ingredients of ricotta, eggs, and flour, play and prepare things to your own taste when you make this recipe. You’ll be much happier with the outcome.  Simply, if you like or don’t like salt, lemon, nutmeg, garlic, etc. just add more or less.  Make it taste good to you.  

This recipe is written using gluten free flour, if you use regular flour just replace the gluten free mix with an equal amount of regular wheat flour. The only difference I have found is that the gluten free blend takes a little longer to cook.

I like to blend the sauce in the recipe below smooth with an immersion blender, if you like a chunkier sauce use a potato masher.  It’s ok.  Feel free to skip the sauce to and just enjoy the gnudi with melted butter and parm, or pesto, or whatever strikes your fancy.

Gnudi (Ricotta Gnocchi) – about 4 entrée size servings

• 2 Eggs 
• 2 Cups Paradox Farms Goat Milk Ricotta – or equal amount store bought 
• 2 Cups Regular, or Gluten Free Flour.  If GF I recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour.
• 2 oz finely grated Parmesan cheese, about 1 cup
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp nutmeg or half a lemons zest (optional), heck maybe even cracked black pepper

1. Place the eggs in a large bowl and beat well, stir in the ricotta, parmesan, salt, and any other flavorings you might like.
2. Gradually stir the flour into the well-blended cheese mixture until a consistent dough is formed.
3. Cover and allow the dough to rest for about 5 minutes.
4. While the dough is resting, bring a large pot of water to boil.  
5. Place the dough in a pastry bag or lacking that use a 1-gallon Ziplock back with the corner cut out.
6. Holding the tip of the bag over the boiling water, pipe out the dough, cutting it off with a paring knife when the piece is about ½ inch long.  Tip: work in batches of 2 dozen or so.  It takes about 3 to 5 minutes for the gnudi to cook through.  Test one first to get an idea of how long it takes.  As mentioned above the gluten free takes a little longer to cook than regular flour. See Video for general idea: Piping Gnudi 
7. Remove cooked gnocchi from the water with a slotted spoon and place on a plate until you have completed cooking the entire batch.
8. Reserve the pasta water to finish the gnocchi.  See below.

Tomato Butter Sauce – yields about 1 quart

• 2 lbs. fresh ripe tomatoes (peeled), or 1-28oz can of whole tomatoes
• 5 Tbs butter
• ½ a small yellow or white onion, diced
• ½ tsp salt

1. Place all ingredients in a small saucepan
2. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for about 45 minutes.  Make the gnudi while the sauce is cooking.
3. When the sauce is done and the tomatoes are soft blend them in the pan with a handheld immersion blender, or mash with a potato masher.  Adjust the seasoning to taste

To finish, toss the desired amount of sauce with your gnudi and portion into dishes.  

For a more authentic finish:  Working in batches of about 2 dozen gnudi at a time, place 2 Tbs of the reserved cooking water in a in a hot sauté pan or skillet and lightly reheat the gnocchi, when the pasta water is just about evaporated add in about ¾ to 1 cup of sauce and simmer until the sauce has adhered to the pasta and is at your desired level of thickness.  Portion into 2 bowls and enjoy with some grilled sausage like the Marguez form our new vendor, Bell Farms!

As always, if you have any questions please see me at the market or email me at mtsamples@gmail.com.

Gnudi with Merguez