Small gnocchi with ricotta and cherry tomato sauce
(recipe developed in collaboration with Terry Sarcina, ALTOPALATO)
Ingredients for 4 serving
For the small gnocchi
250 grams of ricotta, ideally ricotta romana (ricotta from whole sheep’s milk)
130 grams of flour
100 grams of grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 egg yolk
salt “QB”
For the sauce
300 grams of baby plum tomato sauce
1 shallot
1 deciliter extravergine olive oil
some basil sprigs
1 sprig marjoram
1 bay leaf
1 sage leaf
salt “QB”
black pepper “QB”
Prepare the gnocchi: in a bowl work ricotta with a wooden spoon, add the flour, grated parmesan cheese, egg, egg yolk, a pinch of salt and stir until the mixture is well blended; with floured hands, form a stick and cut into pieces, the length of about 1-2 cm.
Distribute the gnocchi on floured surface, keeping them separate from each other.
Put into a pan 2 tablespoons of olive oil, finely chopped shallots, two sprigs of basil, bay leaf, sage, marjoram and soften the shallots without letting them get brown.
Add the tomato sauce, a pinch of salt, pepper and sugar and cook at medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Finally add the remaining basil and olive oil.
Bring to boil plenty of water, add salt and let cook the gnocchi; drain them as soon as they come to the surface, flavour with the hot tomato sauce and grated parmesan cheese.