Gnudi Pasta with Pomodoro Sauce

Ingredients

cows milk ricotta (drained)
1 pound
grated parmeson
1/4 cup plus more to garnish
whole large egg (beaten)
1
salt
1 teaspoon plus more for pasta water / to taste
all purpose flour
1 cup, plus more for dusting / bench flour
olive oil
as needed
semolina flour for dusting
as needed
fresh basil for garnish
1 bunch
crushed san marzano tomatoes
28 ounces (canned)
medium yellow onion (diced)
1 whole
butter
2 tablespoons
salt
to taste
red pepper flakes
to taste
45-60 Minutes
4-6 Servings

Directions

For the Gnudi:

  1. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan, egg,  salt, and a drizzle of olive oil.
  2. Sprinkle the flour over the ricotta mixture and fold to combine. Working in the bowl, gently knead the dough for a minute or 2 until it begins to feel like a dough and can be shaped into a ball. Allow dough to rest for 15 minutes.
  3. Lightly dust a work surface. Turn the dough out and gently roll the dough into a long rope (you can cut the dough in half and roll it out into 2 smaller ropes if you have limited space.
  4. Cut the rope into 36 evenly sized pieces. Roll each piece of dough gently in your hands until it forms a ball. Lay the gnudi on a semolina-lined sheet tray. At this point, your gnudi can be refrigerated or frozen.
  5. Cook the gnudi by bringing a pot of salted water to a rolling boil.  Drop in the gnudi and cook for about 6 minutes until the gnudi puff up and are tender and cooked through.
  6. Finish in the sauce. Put a few ladles of pomodoro into a sauté pan over medium heat and warm through.  Transfer the gnudi to the sauté pan and toss to coat.  With the sauce. Add in a touch of pasta water and a sprinkle of parmesan. Cook for a minute and then transfer to a dish and serve immediately.

For the Pomodoro:

  1. Put the onion and butter, a large pinch of salt and a small pinch of red pepper flakes into a saucepan over medium heat until the onion becomes soft, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add tomatoes and continue cooking, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes.
  3. If the sauce is too loose, continue to simmer until it thickens. Season to taste with salt and more red pepper. Serve over gnudi. Enjoy!