Zucchini and Ricotta Gnocchi with Lemon Sauce

This gnocchi recipe is based on creamy Ricotta Cheese and Zucchini instead of the usual potato, resulting in dumpling treats that are slightly richer in flavour, and with the added bonus of a delicious lemon sauce. Gnocchi is an Italian family food favourite and might just be your new favourite as well. 

This vegetarian dish is ideal to make on the weekend when you have some more time at your disposal and a willing helper or two around to assist with the whisking of the sauce over the hotplate, or the actual cooking of the gnocchi, however it is entirely possible to bring it all together solo. If you can find some zucchini flowers to serve with it at a greengrocers or farmer's market, or especially if you are lucky enough to be growing zucchinis at home, then voila you have a delicious, healthy and quite fancy meal suitable to serve up for your friends.

 When I saw this recipe and photo in a Mindfood Magazine, I knew I had to make this delicate Italian speciality. With zucchinis being in season, this is the perfect dish to enjoy on a balmy summer's night or for lunch on a leisurely Sunday, or just anytime and anywhere.

Gnocchi Ingredients

Serves 4

4 cups grated zucchini
1 tbsp salt
1/4 cup loosely packed basil, sliced
2 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 cups (390g) ricotta
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese (plus extra to garnish)
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1 cup (125) plain flour
Zucchini flowers to decorate, if you have them



Lemon Sauce ingredients:

4 egg yolks
1 tsp caster sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice, strained

1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup of chicken or vegetable stock
1 generous pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 tbsp thick cream or creme fraiche

Let's cook:

The Gnocchi

1. Mix grated zucchini and salt together, let this drain in a colander for 20 minutes.
2. Place grated zucchini in a tea towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. There may be a lot of liquid.
3. Mix together in a bowl the zucchini, basil, lemon zest, nutmeg, ricotta, egg yolks, cheese and pepper. 
4. Mix in enough flour to form a dough. You may need more than the cup of flour in hot and humid conditions.
5. Using a well floured bench, divide the dough into two, and roll into 2cm thick strings. Slice each string into 2 cm pieces and use well floured hands to roll each piece into small balls. 

Place on a tray in the refrigerator and allow to chill, for at least 10-20 minutes before cooking. After initially chilling them, they can be covered and kept in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before cooking, this allows you to prepare them in advance before cooking, as they really need to be eaten as soon as they are cooked.

Cook the gnocchi in boiling water until it floats. Using a slotted spoon or a  mesh strainer,  remove the gnocchi and drain in a colander over a plate.

Place the hot gnocchi in a large bowl and pour over some of the sauce. Toss to bathe the gnocchi lightly in the warm lemon sauce. 

Serve immediately, and if you have some zucchini flowers, use as a garnish along with some grated Parmesan and extra lemon sauce.

These gnocchi could also be served with a tomato based sauce. Click here for my tomato based sauce recipe.

Let's make the Lemon Sauce:

This can be made in advance in the morning, refrigerated and reheated gently in the microwave  before serving. 

1. To make the Lemon Sauce place the egg yolks in a glass bowl. Add sugar, lemon juice and zest and beat with an electric hand beater or a whisk until light and creamy.
2. Place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and continue to whisk for 5 minutes until well aerated and thick. 
3. Gradually add the stock and continue to whisk or beat over a low heat until the mixture thickens, about 12-15 minutes.  Mr. HRK took over and helped me with this as it took about 20 minutes using a metal whisk. The sauce should be the consistency of thick cream and does thicken more as it rests and cools. 
4. When cool, season with the salt and the cayenne pepper, and to make a richer sauce fold in the cream or creme fraiche. Taste the sauce and if you think the lemon flavour is a bit strong for your taste add a little more cream. Set aside.

The Lemon Sauce should ideally be cooked and finished before you start cooking the gnocchi. 

Cook's notes:

• Making gnocchi can be a very enjoyable family activity, as is the devouring of it.
• I had intended to cook this delicious gnocchi for a second time before posting this recipe, which was in my archives, and produce some new photos, as I promised in my latest In My Kitchen post. However that hasn't happened for various reasons, so here is the recipe. Better late than never. I plan to make this dish again though as soon as I can manage. I hope you decide to as well.

We are in the middle of a tropical rain event here at the moment. The weather forecast is for torrential rain tonight and tomorrow, so it's a case of battening down the hatches just in case. However, some of our weather forecasts seem to be incorrect lately, so only time will tell.  One of the most reliable weather forecasts for rain here in the tropics seems to be a few of our flowering plants, in particular our Dove Orchids (very reliable), our Mock Orange bushes, and our Golden Penda trees.  Hoping though that any ensuing flooding doesn't cause too much damage to roads and property.

Take care, 

Warm wishes

Pauline