Ricotta Gnocchi with Brown Butter, Corn and Basil
There are nearly as many ways of preparing gnocchi as there are Italian cooks. Although gnocchi are sometimes made with potatoes or semolina flour, here we combine mild, creamy ricotta cheese with all-purpose flour to create the pillowy little dumplings, which are perfect for a summer supper when topped with fresh corn and basil. Look for Italian-style ricotta, which is slightly stiffer than most American varieties. If your ricotta is a little watery, drain it by placing it in a cheesecloth-lined sieve in the refrigerator for a few hours before using it.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 oz./45 g) thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, stems reserved separately
- 2 large ears of corn, shucked and kernels removed, corncobs halved and reserved separately
- 1 Parmesan cheese rind (optional)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 lb. (500 g) whole-milk Italian-style ricotta cheese
- 2 eggs, preferably pasture raised
- 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 1/4 cups (5 oz./150 g) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) (3 oz./90 g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz./180 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Directions:
Fill a large pot with water. Add the basil stems, corncobs, Parmesan rind and 3 Tbs. salt. Bring the water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and maintain at a bare simmer while you prepare the gnocchi.
To make the gnocchi, in a large bowl, using a wooden spoon, stir together the ricotta, eggs, nutmeg and 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt until thoroughly combined. Stir in the flour until a sticky dough forms. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the liquid. Stir again, adding more flour 1 Tbs. at a time if the dough is still too sticky to handle. (You want a soft dough that’s still slightly tacky but not so sticky that you can’t roll it out.)
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust the parchment with flour. Set aside.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and flour your hands. Using your hands, roll the dough into a long cylinder about 1/2 inch (12 mm) in diameter. Using a metal bench scraper or a knife, cut the dough into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces, placing the pieces on the prepared baking sheet as they are done. Set aside.
Increase the heat under the pot to medium-high and return to a boil. Once the water is boiling, in three batches to avoid crowding, add the gnocchi to the water and cook until they rise to the surface, about 1 minute. Using a skimmer or a slotted spoon, remove the gnocchi from the pot, drain and transfer to a bowl. Set aside. Turn off the heat, reserving the cooking liquid.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add a pinch of salt and the corn kernels and cook, stirring frequently, until the butter has a nutty aroma and the corn is lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) of the cooking liquid and the grated Parmesan to the pan and stir until combined.
Turn off the heat and add the gnocchi to the pan. Toss to combine, adding a little more of the cooking liquid to the pan if needed to dilute the sauce so that it coats the pasta. Add the basil leaves and several grinds of pepper and toss to combine.
Divide the pasta and sauce among individual bowls. Top with more Parmesan and more pepper, if desired, and serve immediately. Serves 2 to 4.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen
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