Difficulty Level: Moderate
Prep Time: 2.5 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serving Size: 2-4 servings
Ingredients:
Spring Onion Chimichurri:
2 bunches ramps
1 bunch spring onion
2 tbsp. Calabrian chili peppers, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Ricotta Gnocchi:
3/4 cup ‘00’ flour
3/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
2 egg yolks
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. butter
Directions:
Spring Onion Chimichurri:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, rinse the ramps and green onion under cold water. Remove the lower stems & bulbs.
Once the water is boiling, blanch the ramps and green onion for about 30 seconds. Remove using a spider strainer and place directly into a bowl filled with ice water.
Remove ramps and spring onion from the ice bath. Drain and add to a blender along with one of the spring onion bulbs, sliced Calabrian chili peppers, Parmigiano and salt. Blend until smooth. Add lemon juice and more salt to taste.
Tip: If you like a little more spice, add a few more Calabrian chili peppers!
Ricotta Gnocchi:
To strain the ricotta, wrap the cheese with a cheese cloth and place over a mesh strainer set on top of a bowl to catch the excess liquids. Strain for a minimum of 2 hours (the longer the better) and squeeze out all excess liquids.
In a mixing bowl, add the strained ricotta, egg yolks, flour, Parmigiano and salt. Use hands to mix well.
Divide the dough into 4-5 sections and roll out each section into long ropes (about 3/4 in. wide). If the dough is sticky, sprinkle some more flour on top as you roll it out. Cut the ropes into tiny pillows with a bench scraper to form the gnocchi.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add plenty of salt. Cook the gnocchi until it floats to the top, about 2-3 minutes. Reserve 1/3 cup pasta water.
Strain the gnocchi and add it to a nonstick pan over medium heat along with the butter. Toast the gnocchi until it’s golden brown in color.
Once the gnocchi is toasted add the spring onion chimichurri along with 1/4 cup pasta water to the pan. Toss until the gnocchi is fully coated in the sauce. Add more pasta water as needed.
Plate and top with more spring onion chimichurri and Parmigiano and serve!