Ricotta Gnocchi and Asparagus with Lemon-Thyme Sauce
Brace yourselves: I’m going to give you a recipe for gnocchi. Gnocchi that’s not only light and delicious and flavorful, but also super easy to make. Your mind is blown, right? Well, mine was.
Not so long ago, when I thought gnocchi, I thought of the potato variety, typically covered in some kind of dense cheese sauce, typically served at an Italian restaurant. That last part, mainly because it really never occurred to me to make it myself. From what I could understand, it seemed like an awful lot of work, and one of those things that you had to have a certain Italian gene to do well. (Which I don’t have. Not a one. Sad.) And, honestly, I’d never had gnocchi that were so delicious that I felt compelled to make more at home.
So I really don’t know what compelled me to give ricotta gnocchi a try. It was some time ago, we’re talking B.C. (before children), so I guess maybe I used to just do things like attempt cooking things I wasn’t even really into, just for fun, in all my free time. Sigh. But really, whatever my wild-and-free reasons might have been, I’m so glad I tried it. Turns out, I love ricotta gnocchi. First of all, these little gnocchi only call for 4 ingredients, most of which you certainly have handy. There are no complicated steps to this recipe (unless you consider rolling out the gnocchi and chopping them into little pillows complicated), just some mixing, rolling, plopping into boiling water, then saucing. You’ll read the directions and think, “That’s it?” Yep, that’s it. No Italian genes required.
They’re lighter and fluffier than their potato cousins, and they have the awesome flavor of ricotta going for them, too. I’ve served them up tossed in tomato sauce, basil pesto, and browned butter sauce and they are always perfect. But this combo, with asparagus and a lemon-thyme infused butter sauce, is my new favorite. I mean, really, how could it not be??? Lemon and thyme and asparagus and light, flavorful gnocchi… do I have to tell you why that’s so wonderful? It tastes like spring on a plate. And despite the fact that it’s decidedly not spring yet, this makes me forget that for just a moment.
Ricotta Gnocchi and Asparagus with Lemon-Thyme Sauce
Ingredients
- For Gnocchi:
- 1 cup Ricotta
- 1 egg
- 1/4-1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated (about 1 oz)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting the dough/board
- For Asparagus and Lemon-Thyme Butter Sauce:
- 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter
- juice of 1 large lemon
- zest of 1/2 large lemon
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
- extra grated or shaved Parmigiano to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Begin by putting the asparagus in a big pile on a baking sheet and drizzling the olive oil over the top. Season well with both salt and pepper, then toss it around on the sheet until all the pieces are coated. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- Now it's time to make the gnocchi. In a bowl, combine ricotta, egg, salt and parmesan and combine well. Now, add the flour and stir until just combined- don't overstir. The dough my seem very sticky, but that's ok. If you're really worried about it, you can add a bit more flour, but not more than a tablespoon or two. Again, it's supposed to be sticky.
- To form the gnocchi, very generously flour your counter or a board, then take a big tablespoon of the dough and scoop it onto the board. Dust it with a little more flour, flour your hands, and roll the dough into a rope about the thickness of your index finger. With a sharp knife, cut it into little pillows. You may need to flour the knife, too. Then place each gnoccho on a floured board or parchment paper lined baking tray. (I actually like to use a very large cutting board so that I can just slice them over when I'm done and continue working on the other side of the board.) Even if you're generously floured your surface, you don't want to let them sit for toooo long, because they'll start to stick anyway.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the water is beginning to boil, put the asparagus in the oven. Roast for about 6 minutes, or until the pieces are tender-crisp. (With this timing, the asparagus should be done right around when the gnocchi are finished, as well.)
- Once the water is boiling, add the gnocchi and give it a stir. Let the gnocchi cook for 3-4 minutes. You can tell they are almost done when they float to the top of the boiling water. Drain into a colander.
- In a large saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. When the butter starts to sizzle, add the lemon juice, zest, and thyme and stir briefly. Add the roasted asparagus pieces and the cooked gnocchi to the pan and toss several times to coat. Season well with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a serving dish or plate individually and garnish with some shaved Parmigiano, extra chopped thyme, and freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately.