Ricotta Gnocchi with Spring Herb Pesto

Name: Ricotta Gnocchi with Spring Herb Pesto
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 1 pound whole-milk ricotta; 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese; Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; Freshly ground white pepper; 1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour, or as needed; 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves; 1/4 cup sliced fresh chives; 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint; 3 tablespoons lightly toasted pine nuts; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; Freshly ground black pepper

December 22, 2011

Chef Walter Pisano, a 1999 Workshop alumnus, makes an aromatic pesto that includes neither basil nor garlic. He makes it with fresh spring herbs—parsley, chives, and mint—in place of the basil that doesn’t mature until summer. It’s lively and light, just the right complement to his feather-light gnocchi, but you could use this pesto on fresh pasta or fish as well. Chef Pisano’s gnocchi melt on the tongue when made with high-quality ricotta. At the winery, we use Bellwether Farms ricotta (see page 77), but Calabro also makes an excellent product. You may need to visit a specialty cheese shop to find fresh ricotta. Supermarket ricotta containing gums or stabilizers will not produce the most delicate gnocchi.

Recipe notes

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