Here is a great summer recipe to use up those garden tomatoes- the recipe comes from this beautiful book about Heirloom tomatoes. I cant wait to make this again- super good with a glass of wine.
Ricotta Gnocchi:
1 pound fresh whole milk ricotta cheese
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup flour- plus more as needed
1/2 cup or 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 or 3 large heirloom tomatoes- cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/4 cup julienned fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
To make the gnocchi: In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, egg yolks, the 3/4 cup flour, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper and stir well to make a moist but sticky dough. Gradually add extra flour if needed. 1 Tablespoon at a time, but avoid making it too dry. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. With well-floured hands, roll each piece into a 3/4 inch rope on a floured surface. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet that has been heavily dusted with flour. Cover with a dry kitchen towel and use the same day, or freeze on the baking sheet, then transfer to plastic bags to freeze for up to 2 months.
In a large non-stick, nonreactive saute pan, melt the butter and 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat until the butter is foaming but not brown. Add the gnocchi, dusting off the excess flour first. Saute the gnocchi over medium heat, turning carefully with a spatula, until golden brown on all sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute, being careful to let the garlic brown. Add the tomatoes and basil and toss with the gnocchi for a minute or two just until the tomatoes are heated through. Do not overcook them. Add remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
To serve, divide the gnocchi among 4 bowls and sprinkle with the 1/4 cup Parmesan. Serves 4
