Ricotta gnocchi with pepper and spinach

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Caterina Ceraudo's ricotta gnocchi recipe is served with a simple roast red pepper sauce and a few spinach leaves for a distinctly Italian starter. Gnocchi made with ricotta in the dough has a lighter texture than the traditional version, and is incredibly simple to make. If serving this dish to vegetarians, swap the Parmesan for a similar hard cheese that uses vegetable rennet.

First published in 2017

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Ricotta gnocchi

Red pepper sauce

Spinach

  • 500g of spinach, washed
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt

Equipment

  • Blender

Method

1
To begin, place the ricotta in a muslin cloth and wring out any liquid until the ricotta is a dry, crumbly texture
2
Add to a large mixing bowl and mix in the flour, Parmesan, egg and a pinch of salt. Knead until you have a smooth dough
3
Roll the dough into long logs and and cut into gnocchi portions using a sharp knife. Add to a pan of salted boiling water - when they rise to the top, they are ready
4
Dry the gnocchi and place in a baking tray with a little oil. Refrigerate until needed
5
Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 8
6
Roast the peppers in the oven until the skins start to blacken and blister. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle (but still warm)
7
Peel the peppers then add the flesh to a blender and blitz until smooth. Season to taste with salt
  • salt
8
Gently reheat the pepper sauce in a saucepan. Wilt the spinach in a pan with a little oil and season with plenty of salt. Reheat the gnocchi in a pan of salted boiling water, then drain well
  • salt
  • 500g of spinach, washed
  • extra virgin olive oil
9
To serve, spread a spoonful of pepper sauce on the base of each plate and top with 5 gnocchi. Add a few leaves of spinach on top and serve

As one of southern Italy’s most forward-thinking chefs, Caterina Ceraudo serves simple yet inventive cuisine on a biodynamic farm in Calabria. At just twenty-nine years old, she is tipped to be one of the country’s culinary greats.

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