Tasty Tuesday: National Pasta Day with Chef Mara & The Foodie School

WCCB Staff,

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Eat up – it’s national pasta day!

Chef Mara with the Foodie School joined Rising to make pumpkin ricotta gnudi. For more info, or to take any of the classes at the Foodie School – including the pasta making one, visit their website. Check out the recipe for sweet potato ricotta gnudi below.

Sweet Potato Ricotta Gnudi

Ingredients

  • 1 16-ounce container whole-milk ricotta, strained for an hour (7 oz. Impastata)
  • 1 small sweet potato, roasted OR ¾ cup sweet potato, puree
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 2/3 cup flour (9 oz.)
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, mix the strained ricotta, sweet potato puree, egg, cheese, pumpkin spice, salt, and 3/4 of the flour until all ingredients are incorporated. You may need more flour.
  2. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
  3. Check the dough by rolling a bit in your hand. It should be a bit tacky. If it clings to your fingers like bubble gum, incorporate more flour one tablespoon at a time until you reach a tacky, workable consistency.
  4. Refrigerate for another 15 minutes.
  5. Before shaping, put a large pot of salted water on the stove to bring to a boil.
  6. Sprinkle a baking sheet with flour and set it close to your work space.
  7. Sprinkle your hands and work surface with a little flour.
  8. Break off a tennis-ball sized piece of the dough and roll it into a thick log about 3/4-inch thick.
  9. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut the log into 3/4″ pieces. You can leave them as little ‘pillows’ or shape them into the traditional grooved gnocchi by rolling them off the back of a fork with your thumb.
  10. Transfer to the baking sheet and toss with flour to prevent sticking. Repeat with remaining dough.
  11. Add half of the gnocchi to the boiling water. Gently stir the gnocchi to make sure they don’t stick.
  12. Once they bob to the surface, let them cook for an additional 2 minutes.
  13. Remove gnocchi with a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander set over a bowl to finish draining.

Sage Brown Butter Sauce

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons butter
  • 12 fresh sage leaves

Directions

  1. In a large sauté pan, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter.
  2. Add the sage to the butter and continue to cook until the butter starts to brown.
  3. Remove from the heat.