Charles Palmer's Ricotta Pesto Gnocchi

This chef-level gnocchi recipe from Charles Palmer builds the dough around drained ricotta and basil pesto, creating pillowy dumplings with herby green flavor baked right in. The combination of regular flour and semolina gives them enough structure to hold their shape while staying tender.

Draining the ricotta overnight in cheesecloth is the most important step, and it happens before you touch anything else. Wet ricotta makes gummy, heavy gnocchi that fall apart in the water. Hanging it over a bowl draws out the excess whey, leaving you with a thick, dry curd that blends seamlessly into the dough.

The gnocchi cook in salted water with a tablespoon of olive oil. When they float, give them one more minute and pull them out. They should be slightly firm, not mushy. That bit of resistance at the center is what separates restaurant gnocchi from the gluey kind.

The garlic broth is a light sauce that lets the pesto gnocchi shine. Roasted garlic, carrot, onion, and celery simmer in chicken stock for 30 minutes, then get strained out. Cold butter stirred in at the end gives the broth a silky richness.

Pro Tips

• Drain ricotta for the full overnight. Shortcuts here mean heavy gnocchi.
• If the dough is too sticky after mixing, add semolina a tablespoon at a time, not regular flour. Semolina absorbs moisture without making the gnocchi tough.
• Chill the cut gnocchi for 15-20 minutes before boiling. Cold gnocchi hold their shape better in the pot.
• Cook in small batches so the water stays at a rolling boil. Crowding drops the temperature and makes them waterlogged.

Variations

• Skip the garlic broth and toss cooked gnocchi in brown butter with sage for a simpler finish.
• Add sun-dried tomato pesto instead of basil pesto for a different flavor and color.
• Pan-fry boiled gnocchi in butter until golden on the outside for crispy-soft texture.