Name: Ricotta Gnocchi with Bolognese
Ingredients: 1 medium onion (quartered); 2 carrots (peeled and roughly chopped); 1 celery stalk (roughly chopped); 8 oz cremini mushrooms; 6 cloves garlic; 2 Tbsp olive oil (plus more for serving); 4 oz spicy Italian sausage (casing removed if necessary); 12 oz ground beef (preferably 80/20); Kosher salt and pepper; 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes; 2 bay leaves; 3 Tbsp tomato paste; 1/3 cup red wine; 1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes (hand crushed); 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese; 1/2 cup finely grated pecorino romano (plus more for serving); 2 eggs; 1 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 3/4 -1.5 cups all purpose flour (plus more for dusting); Semolina flour (for dusting)

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Ricotta Gnocchi with Bolognese

Serves 4-6

5 from 2 votes

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Course Main Course

Servings people

Equipment

Food processor
Bowl
Large pot
Large Bowl
Sheet tray

Ingredients

Bolognese

1 medium onion quartered
2 carrots peeled and roughly chopped
1 celery stalk roughly chopped
8 oz cremini mushrooms
6 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil plus more for serving
4 oz spicy Italian sausage casing removed if necessary
12 oz ground beef preferably 80/20
Kosher salt and pepper
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
3 Tbsp tomato paste
⅓ cup red wine
1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes hand crushed

Ricotta Gnochhi

15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
½ cup finely grated pecorino romano plus more for serving
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¾ -1.5 cups all purpose flour plus more for dusting
Semolina flour for dusting

Instructions

Begin by making the bolognese. Add onion, carrots, and celery to a food processor and pulse to a fine paste. Transfer to a bowl. Add mushrooms and garlic to a food processor and blend to a fine paste as well. Add to the bowl with the other veggies. Set aside.
In a large pot, add olive oil and heat until hot. Add the sausage and ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned.
Add in the vegetable mixture and cook stirring occasionally, until all the liquid in the vegetables reduces out and the mixture becomes dry. This will take about 10-15 minutes.
Add in tomato paste, and cook for about 2 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper. Add in red pepper flakes and bay leaves.
Deglaze with red wine and cook until reduced.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir. Bring to a simmer, reduce to low and cover with a lid. Cook for at least 1 hour on low, or up to 4 hours. While sauce cooks, prepare the gnocchi.
In a large bowl, add ricotta, eggs, pecorino, salt and pepper. Mix until combined.
Add 3/4 cup of flour to start and gently mix into the ricotta mixture. If needed, add 2-3 Tbsp more flour at a time until the mixture is sticky, but holds together when rolled gently between floured hands.*
Using floured hands, form mixture into a ball and cut into 8 equal pieces.
On a floured surface, roll each piece into a 12 inch log. Cut logs into 1/2 inch pieces. **
Transfer gnocchi to a sheet tray dusted with semolina flour. Repeat with all the dough.
Transfer gnocchi to the fridge until you are ready to cook them off. ***
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Heavily season with salt.
Drop gnocchi into boiling water (you can do this is batches if necessary), and cook until they float. Once floating, let simmer for about 1 minute more. Gently drain gnocchi.
Serve gnocchi topped with bolognese, olive oil, and grated pecorino romano. SOOOO GOOOD!

Notes

*Ricotta varies in moisture content so add flour in increments until the mixture holds together when rolled in your hands. It will be sticky but still “rollable”

**You can keep the gnocchi in this shape or you can add ridges with a fork or using a gnocchi board like I did in the video

***Gnocchi can be frozen at this point, spread out on a sheet tray. Once frozen they can be transferred to a bag and kept frozen. They can be cooked in the same manner as above from frozen

Keyword Pasta

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Ricotta Gnocchi with Bolognese