Gnudi (Ricotta Gnocchi)

Name: Gnudi (Ricotta Gnocchi)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound fresh basil, stems removed; 1 cup ricotta cheese; ¾ cup all-purpose flour, divided; ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten; ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; 2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper; 2 teaspoons sea salt, or more to taste; ½ lemon, juiced

Rating: 4.71 stars

7 Ratings
7 Reviews
4 Photos

I've made potato-basil gnocchi before and successfully frozen it but thought I'd try the gnocchi less travelled... gnudi. Gnudi are ricotta-based gnocchi, and are usually made with spinach. However, I forgot to buy spinach and thought I'd use up some of my bumper crop of basil. These are delicate, delicious, and surprisingly easy. The recipe is very forgiving. The basil is intense and wonderful with these little cheese dumplings. I used a mix of both Genovese and Amethyst basil and the results were purple and green! Serve with butter, pesto, or chopped fresh tomatoes, capers and olives as either a main course or a side dish

By Callinectes Sapidus

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Recipe Summary

prep:

30 mins

cook:

15 mins

total:

45 mins

Servings:

Yield:

4 servings

Nutrition Info

Ingredients

Original recipe yields 4 servings

The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

1 pound fresh basil, stems removed
1 cup ricotta cheese
¾ cup all-purpose flour, divided
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper
2 teaspoons sea salt, or more to taste
½ lemon, juiced (Optional)

Directions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add basil and cook uncovered until just wilted, about 1 minute. Immerse in ice water for several minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain. Squeeze very dry and finely chop.

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Step 2

Mix ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup flour, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, egg yolks, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add basil, white pepper, and salt; mix until gnudi mixture is well-combined.
Step 3

Dust your hands with remaining 1/4 cup flour and form gnudi mixture into small balls.
Step 4

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add lemon juice. Boil gnudi in batches until they float to the top of the water, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain.

Cook's Notes:

The boiling water may require skimming and you may need to add additional water.

Basil may brown as it boils so don't be surprised if the water turns slightly brown. The gnudi do not turn brown, just the water.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

185 calories; protein 11.3g 23% DV; carbohydrates 22.5g 7% DV; fat 6.1g 9% DV; cholesterol 111.2mg 37% DV; sodium 1042mg 42% DV. Full Nutrition

Reviews (7)

Most helpful positive review

Kim's Cooking Now

02/14/2017

One pound of fresh basil sounds like an awful lot, and being that we are in the dead of winter here in Georgia, my bumper basil crop won't be showing up for a few months. What I used was last year's bumper crop of basil that I had put in the freezer. Once it's frozen, I crush it until it crumbles, that way I can add it to sauces and other recipes throughout the winter. I used about 1/2 cup of the crushed frozen basil, and it worked perfect! I just threw it right in with the ricotta cheese (didn't even wait for it to thaw) and then carried on with the recipe. These were light and pillow-y, and worked great in the recipe that I was making tonight (Chicken Sausage Gnocchi Skillet, also from this site). I will be saving this to my recipe box, and can't wait to make them again! Read More

Helpful

(7)

Most helpful critical review

Deb C

07/16/2019

I thought the salt and white pepper were too aggressive in this recipe. Read More

7 Ratings

5 star values: 6
4 star values: 0
3 star values: 1
2 star values: 0
1 star values: 0

Reviews: Most Helpful

Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest

Kim's Cooking Now

02/14/2017

Helpful

(7)

Elizabethbellb

04/08/2018

I used 1 tsp of dried basil and 1 tsp salt. This was great Read More

Helpful

(3)

ifarmthings

11/15/2018

Since I’m all about making things quick I put this in a sturdy ziploc bag, snip the corner of the bag, squeeze and “slice” into little logs right into the boiling water (be careful of splash) Saves you from dirtying extra dishes & dealing with sticky dough. As a first timer I wasn’t sure the consistency gnudi should be and seeing as my ricotta was watery I did add extra flour. Workable yet still sticky. This probably only took me 20 minutes, I just did a brown butter sauce, so flavorful! Thank you! Read More

Helpful

(3)

Teresa

04/25/2019

I had herb ricotta leftover from Easter. I searched ricotta recipes and found this! To save time I piped the ricotta into a gallon bag snipped the corner and squeezed and cut small pieces as it came out of the bag directly into boiling water. I used low sodium chicken broth with my boiling water. When the gnocchi was done I placed it on a paper towel liner plate. To complete the dish I pan fried ham in butter added peas and fresh pesto. I also pan fried the gnocchi to golden brown in that process ( I don t like mushy gnocchi). It was delicious. I topped with more Parmesan and fresh parsley. Read More

dog300

11/05/2018

Turned out amazing! Obviously I didn't have a pound of basil but I used a full bun and that worked out great. I added some extra parmesan just because I had it. Served with a butter sauce with onion and garlic. Will make this again for sure. Read More

Heather Savage

07/26/2017

This was excellent! My entire family loved it. I have goats for milk and make ricotta regularly so I was very glad to see a recipe that used ricotta. It took me about 40 minutes from the time I picked the basil in the garden to the time I served the dish so quick and easy! I served it as a main dish with pesto and a salad. Read More

Deb C

07/16/2019

I thought the salt and white pepper were too aggressive in this recipe. Read More

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Nutritional Information

Gnudi (Ricotta Gnocchi)

Servings Per Recipe: 4
Calories: 185.4

% Daily Value *

protein: 23 %

carbohydrates: 7 %

exchange other carbs:

dietary fiber: 11 %

sugars:

fat: 9 %

saturated fat: 13 %

cholesterol: 37 %

vitamin a iu: 123 %

niacin equivalents: 36 %

vitamin b6: 14 %

vitamin c: 35 %

folate: 33 %

calcium: 33 %

iron: 87 %

magnesium: 35 %

potassium: 11 %

sodium: 42 %

thiamin: 23 %

calories from fat:

percent of calories from carbs:

percent of calories from fat:

percent of calories from protein:

percent of calories from sat fat:

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.