Fun With Gnocchi!

This is the second time in almost as many weeks that I've channelled my inner Italian Grandma (call me Nonna) in the kitchen, and made the fam a new recipe with my beloved Gnocchi. This time, however, the gnocchi was not the traditional potato-based variety; its main component was ricotta. This, together with some yellow squash and zucchini (sauteed in olive oil, salt & pepper, some onion and garlic powder, and finished with a healthy splash of balsamic vinegar), as well as nice glass of Pinot Grigio, made for a memorable Tuesday night. Mangia!

NOTE: This recipe claimed 8 servings... my wife and I finished the whole thing ourselves!!

Ricotta Gnocchi

• In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2c ricotta (sheep's milk recommended) with 2 egg yolks & 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt


• Add 1c all-purpose flour and stir until soft and sticky dough forms.


• Wrap in plastic and rest for 30:00 (the dough, not you!)


• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.


• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into two ropes that are each about 1" diameter.


• Cut into 1/2" pieces with a lightly floured knife.


• Add the gnocchi, and cook until they rise to the surface, then simmer until firm (approx. 2 more minutes).


• Transfer to a bowl of iced water with a slotted spoon to stop the cooking process.


• Drain and gently pat dry.


• Melt 4 tbsp. unsalted butter in a large nonstick skillet. Add the gnocchi and cook over high heat, turning the gnocchi until golden brown (approx. 4-5 minutes).


• Serve right away by themselves, or with a tomato sauce.

Lazy Sundays are Perfect for Pancakes

Most Sundays I try to experiment with new pancake recipes. Something other than the traditional batter. I recently used cornmeal to make my batter, but it needs some work (or maybe a spring form) to achieve the loft and density of the kinds I've loved in restaurants.
This morning, I went with another twist, ricotta. It's one of my favorite ingredients to work with, because it's so versatile, and so creamy. I used it as a layer on my chicken cutlets -- between marinara sauce, bacon, and mozzarella -- the other night for dinner. So I had the perfect amount to incorporate this morning for a lazy Sunday breakfast. I've learned through my readings that a good chef always uses the entire amount of what he purchases, so it makes me feel good to put this to good use. I happen to like this particular recipe, from Neal Fraser (F&W mag). They are light and thin, but have a smooth, creamy texture, and the warm blueberries inside release their sweet juices with every bite...

Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberries

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 large eggs, separated
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons milk
6 ounces ricotta cheese (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Unsalted butter, for the griddle
1 pint fresh blueberries or 2 cups frozen blueberries, thawed
Pure maple syrup, for serving

Directions
1.In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the milk, ricotta, sugar and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and whisk until the batter is smooth.
2.In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at medium speed until frothy. Beat at high speed until soft peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter until no streaks remain.
3.Preheat the oven to 225°. Heat a griddle, then lightly butter it. For each pancake, ladle a scant 1/4 cup of the batter onto the griddle; be sure to leave enough space between the pancakes. Cook over moderately low heat until the bottoms are golden and the pancakes are just beginning to set, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle each pancake with a few blueberries and press lightly. Flip the pancakes and cook until golden on the bottom and cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Transfer the pancakes to plates and keep them warm in the oven while you make the rest. Serve the pancakes with maple syrup.

Homage to Franco's

The other night we had our friends over for dinner, and decided to do something I can't believe I hadn't yet done: recreate my all-time favorite dish from my family's bell weather Italian restaurant in New Jersey. It was Franco's (Montvale, NJ) every Friday (at least that's how my rose-tinted memory sees it from my youth), and we never needed to look at a menu. My mom and sis always has the Eggplant Rollatini (it was a special,; he even made it for them when it wasn't on the menu), my dad would usually get the special that night (he trusted Franco's taste), or the Veal Parmigiana, and my order was.... Veal Pillows. Just the sound of those 2 words together puts my salivary glands in a state of euphoria... The key to this entree is the layering of flavors and textures just so: breaded veal cutlets, prosciutto, ricotta, marinara, and mozzarella, in that order, from the bottom up.

For my rendition, I opted for chicken in place of veal, to appease the masses, but the results were still fairly exceptional. There's a lot going on in each bite: a little crunch from the bread crumbs (I use Panko), the tenderness of the white meat, the salty prosciutto, the creamy ricotta, the slightly sweet and acidic tomato sauce (I used Putannesca), and the melty mozzarella......... heaven, and on a Monday night no less!

I urge you to try this dish...maybe it becomes one of your favorites, too! Just make sure to give the credit to Franco!