Karine Moulin's ricotta gnocchi

Use ricotta instead of potatoes for a lighter gnocchi

Karine Moulin gnocchi recipe

Gnocchi can be a hearty dish that's great for our cold, Canadian winters, but substituting ricotta for the potato in the traditional version makes it a hell of a lot lighter. Top Chef Canada's Karine Moulin is letting us dip into her recipe stash again for a ricotta gnocchi recipe that is as easy to make as it is to satisfy your dinner table.

Try this gnocchi with a simple tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil (pictured above) or tossed in some pesto. Who says a plate of pasta can't be as light as bright as a late spring day? Nobody puts baby pasta in a corner!

Ricotta gnocchi

8 ounces ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 cup all-purpose flour, or as needed

In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan Cheese, salt, pepper and lemon zest until evenly combined.

Mix in flour. Add additional flour if needed to form a soft dough.

Divide the dough into 3 or 4 pieces and roll into ½-inch thick ropes on a floured surface. Cut each rope into 1 inch pieces and place on a lightly floured baking sheet. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Over high heat, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Boil the gnocchi until they float to the surface, 1 to 2 minutes, and then drain.

Sauté with a brown butter sauce and serve hot.