Pan-fried Ricotta Gnocchi

Ricotta Gnocchi, a traditional Florentine dish, have the delicate texture of little pillows and are also very easy to make. And you can create them ahead of time and then freeze them (up to one month) until ready to use.

Gnocchi are basically rich velvety Italian dumplings and pair well with any sauce. I choose to serve mine with homemade pesto. Sautéing the gnocchi creates a crispy outside with a soft airy inside but they can be boiled in a pot of hot water until they float to the top as well.

Pan-Fried Ricotta Gnocchi

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

• Ricotta – Ricotta is a mild, soft and creamy Italian cheese that is made from the leftover whey created when making mozzarella and other similar cheeses. The texture and look is similar to cottage cheese. I always choose whole milk ricotta over part-skim because the latter can be watery, making it hard to shape the gnocchi.
• Pecorino romano – Pecorino Romano is unlike the soft cheeses typically used for dips, ricotta for example. Instead, it is a hard, salty Italian cheese made from sheep’s milk.

How to Make Pan-Fried Ricotta Gnocchi

1. In a large bowl stir together the ricotta, Romano cheese, egg yolks, salt and black pepper. Slowly stir in the flour until the mixture forms a soft, wet dough.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour until the dough is firm.
2. Lightly flour a work surface. Divide dough into two equal balls and shape each into a 1”-thick rope. Cut the dough crosswise into ¾” pieces. Roll the dough on a gnocchi board or using the prongs on a fork.
3. Add gnocchi to a floured baking sheet. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the cut pieces onto it, lightly flouring the parchment paper if the pieces of dough begin to stick. Continue until all dough is used.
4. Use or freeze gnocchi. Chill the gnocchi for 10 minutes. If not using the gnocchi right away follow instructions below to freeze the gnocchi.
5. Melt butter in a skillet. When ready to use the Gnocchi, heat a medium skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add the butter and allow to melt.
6. Fry the gnocchi. Add the gnocchi in a single layer and fry about 2 minutes each side, until the gnocchi is lightly browned on each side.
7. Serve. Serve as is or lightly tossed in your favorite pasta sauce.

How to Freeze The Gnocchi

Once the gnocchi are arranged on the baking sheet, place into the freezer and freeze the gnocchi. Once frozen, divide gnocchi into portions. Transfer the gnocchi into freezer bags and store, frozen, for up to a month.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this ricotta gnocchi recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

• Baked Sausage and Kale Baked Gnocchi
• Breakfast Gnocchi
• Fall Gnocchi with Butternut Squash, Brown Butter, Pancetta and Sage
• Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi

Pan-Fried Ricotta Gnocchi

Print Pin

Prep Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Serves 4

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients:

• 1 pound whole milk Ricotta cheese, about 2 cups, any excess liquid drained
• 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 4 egg yolks
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions:

• In a large bowl stir together the ricotta, Romano cheese, egg yolks, salt and black pepper. Slowly stir in the flour until the mixture forms a soft, wet dough.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour until the dough is firm.
• Lightly flour a work surface. Divide dough into two equal balls and shape each into a 1”-thick rope. Cut the dough crosswise into ¾” pieces. Roll the dough on a gnocchi board or using the prongs on a fork.
• Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the cut pieces onto it, lightly flouring the parchment paper if the pieces of dough begin to stick. Continue until all dough is used.
• Chill the gnocchi for 10 minutes. If not using the gnocchi right away follow instructions below to freeze the gnocchi.
• When ready to use the Gnocchi, heat a medium skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add the butter and allow to melt.
• Add the gnocchi in a single layer and fry about 2 minutes each side, until the gnocchi is lightly browned on each side. Serve as is or lightly tossed in your favorite pasta sauce.

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