Sotto Sopra's Goat Ricotta Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce

Sotto Sopra’s Goat Ricotta Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce

Serves 2 to 3 as entree

INGREDIENTS

Gnocchi

1 lb goat ricotta

10 oz ‘00’ flour

1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1 egg yolk from a large egg

Fine sea salt and fresh pepper

Leaves from 2 sprigs of fresh thyme

Leaves from 1 sprig of rosemary

4 leaves of fresh sage

Brown Butter

4 tablespoons of butter

2 fresh sage leaves

Tomato Sauce – yields about 50 ounces

1 small yellow onion, diced

Extra virgin olive oil

2 – 28 oz cans of peeled San Marzano Tomatoes

1 tablespoon of sugar

Fine sea salt

Bunch of basil, stemmed and rough chop

For finishing

Fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil

DIRECTIONS

Gnocchi directions

In a large mixing bowl add ricotta, 00 flour, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, egg yolk, sea salt and fresh ground pepper.  Chop the thyme leaves, rosemary leaves and sage leaves together and add to the bowl.Mix ingredients until they come together (mixer or by hand).  You don’t want to overwork the dough but you want it mixed well.

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Roll a test piece of the gnocchi about ½ inch wide by inch long and add to the pot. If it sits on the bottom of the pot or falls apart you need to add more flour. It should float to the top of the pot in about 2 minutes.  It should have a soft mouth feel.  If it feels too dense than you have too much flour.  Once the gnocchi test properly you want to cut the dough in four sections and roll out on a floured surface to ½ inch round thickness (like a rope) and then cut each gnocchi 1 inch long.  As you are cutting the gnocchi you would want to put on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Cover with saran wrap and chill until you are ready to prepare. 

Tomato sauce directions

In a large pot, sauté the chopped onion in extra virgin olive oil until they become translucent.  Crush the whole tomatoes by hand breaking them up in small pieces and add them and the liquid from the can to the pot. Add sugar and salt. Bring to a simmer for 45 minutes and take off the heat.  Add fresh basil and let steep for 20 minutes. You can at this time pulse the sauce with an immersion blender or put in your food processor and pulse.

ASSEMBLY

           

1.    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2.    Create you brown butter by heating all the butter with sage leaves.  Let the butter foam and it is done.

3.    When water is at a boil drop in your gnocchi a handful at a time.  They will rise to the top of the pot in about 2 minutes when they are done. Use a spider spatula to drain and transfer to warm plates.

4.    Drizzle brown butter over the gnocchi. Top with ½ cup to 1 cup tomato sauce. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, extra virgin olive oil and serve.