Ricotta Gnocchi

1. Boil salted water in a large pot.
2. Combine the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, olive oil, eggs and a teaspoon salt. Whisk them in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add the all-purpose flour and keep stirring with a spatula.
3. Roll the dough together in a ball. Cut off one quarter of it. Dust the work-surface with all-purpose flour. Roll the cut-off dough into a dowel shape. Cut the dowel into 5/8 inch pieces.
4. Dust some parchment paper with the semolina flour. Place the gnocchi on it. Now repeat the process with the rest of the dough (quarter by quarter).
5. Boil the water in a pot. Cook the gnocchi for 2 minutes.
6. To make the Pancetta tomato sauce, heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta. Cook until the pancetta is crisp for about 5 to 6 minutes.
7. Remove the pancetta from the pan. And add the diced onions. Cook until the onions are golden. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Add the garlic and cook it for a minute or two.
9. Add the crushed tomatoes. Cover it with a lid and bring it to simmer.
10. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove the lid. Add the reserved pancetta and cook for 10 minutes more.
11. Now pour the pancetta tomato sauce over ricotta gnocchi. Garnish it with basil leaves.
12. Serve and enjoy!

Trivia

• Gnocchi is an Italian word for “dumpling”.

Gnocchi with the tomato sauce is known as strangolapreti which means “priest stranglers”. It got this name because a local priest ate and liked them so much that he choked on them.