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Zucchini Ricotta Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter Sauce

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Zucchini Ricotta Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter Sauce by Hip Foodie Mom6

It’s sunny in Scotland this morning. Bright, clear and gusty with soft puffs of variable cloud. Some distance away, sunlight reflects off the still waters of Loch Fyne. The glare casts a pleasant glow upon the ceiling of our attic room; the light dances upon weathered timber as my fingers tap on black plastic keys.

Despite the sun, it’s decidedly chilly today. After a full Scottish breakfast (sausage, beans, fried haggis, tomatoes, mushrooms, black pudding and a potato scone) both Aaron and I have re-wrapped ourselves in thick blankets whilst our warmest clothes wash in the hostel laundry. That suits me just fine. A couple of hours to rest, think, breathe and type… something that I haven’t done in quite a while. Travelling is beautiful but (as any traveller will tell you) the constant momentum eventually breeds fatigue. I presently feel like I could sleep for the large part of a week.

Anyway, enough about being tired. I’ve got a treat for you today, a delicious guest post written by another dear blogging friend of mine across the seas: the beautiful Alice from Hip Foodie Mom. I’ve been reading Alice’s blog for a long time now and I’ve always been impressed by her genuine kindness, creativity and interest in other blogger’s work (not to mention her drool-worthy food… Mexican Biscuit Casserole, anyone?!).

But in February of this year, I read this post about #FeedSouthAfrica and Alice’s honesty, faith and generosity of heart really spoke to my own values, social consciousness and belief in God. We connected up and… well, the rest is history. I am so grateful to have Alice as a friend and inspirational blogging sister. She inspires me every day.

So, without further ado: here’s Alice and her beautiful recipe for soft, pillowy, cheesy gnocchi (thanks Alice for contributing such a delicious recipe for readers of the Mess!).


Hello Laura’s Mess readers! I’m Alice from Hip Foodie Mom. I live in Madison, Wisconsin. I’m a wife, mother of two girls and love to cook. Hip Foodie Mom is a fresh food recipe blog. You’ll find a little bit of everything from meat dishes to Asian food to vegetarian and desserts… but one thing remains constant: my use of fresh, organic, quality ingredients.

While Laura is away on holiday, I have the great honor of sharing a recipe with you all. And before I get to the recipe, I have to say how much I love Laura and reading her beautiful blog. We have not met in person but I am always inspired by her writing and photography. She is a beautiful soul inside and out.

Zucchini Ricotta Gnocchi Dough

I don’t know what it is but there is something so relaxing and comforting about working with your hands and working on dough. I feel like an artist when I’m rolling dough for pasta, or pastry crust or pizza dough. Whatever it is, I love working with my hands and creating.

Zucchini Ricotta Gnocchi prep

We are moving into fall here in the Northern hemisphere. Fall is my absolute favorite season. I love the fall for many reasons but cooler weather, seeing the leaves change colors, pumpkins everywhere and hearty home cooked meals are my top four!

Zucchini Ricotta Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter Sauce by Hip Foodie Mom2

Fall is when I dust off my slow cooker and bring out all of favorite comfort foods. Chili, stews, slow cooked beef and pork, casseroles and pasta.

If you’ve never made homemade pasta, gnocchi is a great one to start with. It doesn’t require a pasta making machine or attachment and it comes together fairly quickly. And even though my gnocchi isn’t the prettiest in the world, it tasted even more delicious knowing I made it myself. So the next time you are craving gnocchi and don’t mind getting your hands a little messy, I hope you try this. I’m definitely trying potato gnocchi (or some crispy gnocchi) for next time. I hope you enjoy!

And Laura, safe travels to you my friend and we can’t wait until you are back home and in your kitchen again. Cheers!!

Zucchini Ricotta Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter Sauce by Hip Foodie Mom3

Zucchini Ricotta Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter Sauce

by Alice Choi, Hip Foodie Mom

Serves 4

Zucchini Ricotta Gnocchi

Ingredients

For the gnocchi:

  • 2 cups zucchini, grated (skin left on)
  • ½ tablespoon salt
  • 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 cup all purpose flour, start with ½ cup

For the brown butter sage:

  • 1 stick, 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, sliced
  • 1/3 cup fresh sage leaves
  • Salt and freshly cracked pepper

To serve:

  • Roasted cherry tomatoes
  • Freshly shaved Parmesan cheese

Instructions

For the gnocchi:

Using a colander, mix together the grated zucchini and salt. Let it sit and drain for about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove and squeeze out as much liquid as possible, either using your hands or a cheesecloth.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the zucchini, ricotta, egg yolk and Parmesan cheese. Then, mix in enough flour to form a dough that is not too sticky to work with. Start with ½ cup of flour and keep adding a little at a time (only up to 1 cup total) until you have a nice workable dough.

Move the dough to a well-floured work surface and form dough into a ball. Roll the dough into 1-inch thick strings, and, using a pastry cutter, slice into 1-inch pieces. After you have all the pieces, feel free to also shape the gnocchi with your hands. You can then use the back of a fork to make lines on your gnocchi if desired.

Zucchini Ricotta Gnocchi

Bring a big pot of water to a boil, then, working with maybe 8-12 gnocchi at a time, gently drop the gnocchi into the water and cook until the gnocchi begins to float, remove from the water and repeat until all of your gnocchi is cooked.*

For the brown butter sage sauce:

Place the sliced butter into a skillet over medium-high heat and begin melting the butter, swirling the pan occasionally to help the butter cook evenly. Continue cooking the butter until it begins to brown, for about 4 minutes.

Once melted, the butter will foam up a bit. Add the fresh sage and continue to cook for a couple minutes more. You want the butter to be nicely browned and nutty but not burnt. Season with salt and freshly cracked pepper and remove from the heat.

To serve:

Place some zucchini ricotta gnocchi onto a plate and top with the brown butter sage sauce. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, some roasted cherry tomatoes and the crispy sage (if desired). Serve immediately.

Zucchini Ricotta Gnocchi recipe adapted from Closet Cooking. *Check out this recipe to see Kevin’s tips and tricks!

Zucchini Ricotta Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter Sauce by Hip Foodie Mom

Thanks again Alice! If you’re yet to do so, please click over and say hello to Alice via her blog Hip Foodie Mom, facebook, twitter and/or instagram!


Filed under: Guest Posts, Holiday, Main Course, Pasta, Vegetarian Tagged: brown butter, dinner, gnocchi, guest post, Hip Foodie Mom, pasta, ricotta gnocchi, sage, zucchini

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