Ingredients
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Gnudi
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500g ricotta cheese
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1 egg
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160g all purpose flour
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1/4 tsp salt
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1/4 tsp white pepperblack pepper works fine too
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1/4 tsp nutmeg
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Soup
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2 Tbsp oil from sun-dried tomatoes
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1 medium onion
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1/2 cup (roughly chopped) sun-dried tomatoes
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2 cloves garlic
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1 tsp dried basil
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1 tsp rubbed sage
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1 tsp dried oregano
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1 tsp dried rosemary
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1/2 tsp paprika
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1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
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1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
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to taste salt
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4 cups chicken broth
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3 cups milk
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2 Tbsp corn starch
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1 large chicken breast, cooked and shredded
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5 oz spinach
Directions
Tender cheesy dumpings, sweet-tart sun-dried tomatoes, and a creamy herby broth make this soup irresistible. Ricotta gnocchi are technically called “gnudi” but they’re recognized better by their more descriptive name. Just like it sounds, ricotta gnocchi are pasta dumplings that use ricotta cheese rather than potato. You can use the gnocchi for many different recipes, but I thought this soup complimented them nicely. You can also skip the work and use premade potato gnocchi. Enjoy!
Steps
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1
Done
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GnocchiThe first step is to drain the ricotta (make sure you use the whole milk variety), you can even start this the night beforehand. Put a colander over a bowl (if transferring to the fridge) or straight in the sink, then add cheesecloth or layers of paper towels, and the ricotta. Wrap and squeeze the ricotta, then place a plate and something heavy overtop. If you don't do this overnight, let it drain for at least one hour. The ricotta should be very dense and hold its shape, you can test this by rolling a small piece into a ball in your hand. (Save the drained liquid for the soup later) |
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2
Done
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Combine the drained ricotta, egg, and seasonings in a bowl. Black pepper is interchangeable for the white pepper, I just didn't want a bunch of black specs in my dough. Pour half the flour onto the counter (or onto a sheet pan to make less mess) and add the ricotta mixture on top. Use your hands and/or a bench scraper to mix the dough, adding the rest of the flour as you go. The resulting dough should hold its shape and be a little bit wet, but shouldn't stick to your hands. |
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3
Done
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Split the dough into 8 pieces and roll one into a 1/2" thick snake (keeping the others covered so they don't get dry). Cut the snake into 1/2"-3/4" pieces. To shape the gnocchi, you can roll them with your thumb on a gnocchi board or the back of a floured fork. The purpose of these ridges is to hold on to sauce, and since these are going in a soup this step is completely optional, I just like the way it looks :). Continue with the rest of the dough, rolling them in flour so they don't stick, and let rest at least 30 minutes. |
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4
Done
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SoupHeat a large stock pot over medium heat and cook the onion in the olive oil from the tomatoes, and a little salt (it's always good to season food as you go). When they start to go translucent, add the tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes. Finally, add all the spices to bloom and toast. |
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5
Done
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Add the chicken broth and bring up to a boil. Whisk the corn starch into some of the cold milk (if you add corn starch to hot liquid it will just clump), then pour into the soup. I used 2 cups of almond milk and 1 cup of whole milk. At this point you can also add in any liquid reserved from draining the gnocchi. When the soup is boiling again, add the gnocchi. When they're all floating, boil for 2-3 more minutes and then taste one. They should be pillowy and shouldn't taste of raw flour. |
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6
Done
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Reduce the heat to low so that the gnocchi don't overcook and stir in the chicken and spinach. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. I used about 1 teaspoon of salt throughout the whole recipe. Scoop into bowls and eat up! |
