Description
This Cottage Cheese Gnocchi recipe creates light, tender gnocchi using full-fat small-curd cottage cheese combined with russet potatoes, Parmesan, and egg yolks. The dough is rested and carefully handled to avoid gummy texture, then boiled until they float and finished in a warm Alfredo sauce for creamy, comforting flavor. Perfect for an elegant dinner with homemade flair.
Ingredients
Scale
Gnocchi Dough
- 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
To Serve
- Store-bought or homemade Alfredo sauce
- Finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Drain Cottage Cheese: Place cottage cheese in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl or container. Cover with parchment paper and weigh down with a heavy object. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours to drain excess liquid.
- Cook Potatoes: In a medium saucepan, cover potatoes with 2 inches of cold water. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer until fork-tender, about 45 minutes.
- Prepare Potatoes: Drain potatoes and let cool. Remove skins using your thumbs, then press potatoes through a ricer or grate on the largest holes of a box grater for a fine texture.
- Make Dough: Transfer drained cottage cheese to a large bowl. Add prepared potatoes, egg yolks, Parmesan, salt, and nutmeg. Gently stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until combined without overworking to avoid gummy texture. Add flour and stir until incorporated. Knead in the bowl by hand until dough is uniform and stiff.
- Rest Dough: Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes to relax the gluten and make rolling easier.
- Shape Gnocchi: On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into quarters. Roll one portion into a 1/2-inch thick rope, dusting with flour to prevent sticking. Cut rope into 1-inch pieces with a bench scraper or pizza cutter. Place pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, keeping unused portions covered to prevent drying.
- Cook and Coat Gnocchi: Warm Alfredo sauce in a large skillet over medium heat. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook gnocchi in batches until they float to the surface, 2 to 4 minutes. Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer gnocchi to the skillet with sauce. Stir gently to coat, adding reserved pasta water if needed to achieve a silky sauce consistency.
- Serve: Divide gnocchi among bowls. Top with additional Parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley for garnish.
Notes
- Drain the cottage cheese well to avoid excess moisture which can make the dough too wet.
- Use russet potatoes as they have a higher starch content, resulting in lighter gnocchi.
- Be careful not to overwork the dough to keep gnocchi light and tender.
- If dough feels too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it firms up slightly.
- Resting the dough helps relax the gluten for easier rolling and shaping.
- Cooking gnocchi in batches prevents overcrowding and sticking in the boiling water.
- Adding pasta water to Alfredo sauce helps bind it to the gnocchi creating a smooth coat.
- Freshly grated Parmesan and parsley finish the dish with classic, fresh flavors.
