Description
This Cottage Cheese Gnocchi recipe combines creamy full-fat cottage cheese and tender russet potatoes to create light and fluffy gnocchi with a rich, cheesy flavor. Served with a warm Alfredo sauce and garnished with fresh parsley, these homemade gnocchi offer a comforting and elegant Italian-inspired dish perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 1 cup full-fat small-curd cottage cheese
- 2 medium russet potatoes (about 1 1/4 lb. total)
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, plus more for serving
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more
- Pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
For Serving
- Store-bought or homemade Alfredo sauce
- Finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Drain Cottage Cheese: Place the cottage cheese in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Cover with parchment and place a heavy object on top. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours to drain excess liquid.
- Cook Potatoes: In a medium saucepan, cover the potatoes with 2 inches of cold water. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce to medium-low, partially cover, and cook until fork-tender, about 35 to 45 minutes.
- Prepare Potatoes: Drain and let potatoes cool slightly. Remove skins with your thumbs. Pass potatoes through a ricer or grate them using the largest holes of a box grater.
- Make Dough: Transfer drained cottage cheese to a large bowl. Add riced potatoes, egg yolks, Parmesan, salt, and nutmeg. Gently stir with a rubber spatula to combine without overworking to avoid gummy texture. Add flour and stir until combined, then knead gently in the bowl until dough is uniform and stiff.
- Rest Dough: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Shape Gnocchi: On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into quarters. Roll each piece into a 1/2-inch thick rope, dusting with flour as needed. Cut ropes into 1-inch pieces using a bench scraper or pizza cutter. Transfer pieces to a parchment-lined baking sheet; keep dough covered to prevent drying.
- Cook Gnocchi: Warm Alfredo sauce in a large skillet over medium heat. In large pot of boiling salted water, cook gnocchi in batches until they float, about 2 to 4 minutes. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer the gnocchi to the skillet with sauce and gently stir to coat. Add some pasta water if needed to create a silky sauce.
- Serve: Divide the gnocchi among bowls. Garnish with additional grated Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Drain cottage cheese thoroughly to avoid excess moisture that could affect dough consistency.
- Handle the dough gently and avoid overworking to keep gnocchi light and tender.
- If dough is sticky, add a little more flour, but avoid adding too much to keep gnocchi delicate.
- Ricing or grating potatoes while warm yields fluffier gnocchi.
- You can freeze shaped gnocchi on the baking sheet, then transfer to a bag for later cooking.
- Leftover gnocchi can be reheated gently in sauce or sautéed for a crispy texture.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: cottage cheese gnocchi, potato gnocchi, homemade gnocchi, Italian gnocchi recipe, creamy gnocchi, Alfredo gnocchi
