These gnocchi have been on my mind for a couple of weeks now. I haven’t made them in such a long time! Silly me. Unlike the traditional ones, which tend to be on the heavy side, these gnocchi are very light and simply perfect for our Spring diet when we try to get rid of some extra kilos gained during the long winter (ahem). I drizzled them with a tasty sauce which reminded a bit of Louisa sauce (you might have heard of chicken Louisa – delicious dish that combines tomato, heavy cream and tarragon in the sauce – you really must try it in case you haven’t yet!!). I’m happy to report our tarragon plants are growing very well this Spring (unlike last year and the one before last) and I’m planning on making lots of dishes with it very soon (I’m especially longing to eat these muffins again, mmm!).

But first things first. The gnocchi recipe!

Ingredients for 4 appetizers (or 2 main dishes):
250g cottage cheese (or ricotta, if that’s what you have at hand), drained well
1 egg (L)
80g flour (I used white kamut flour, or use all-purpose), or more (it will depend on the moisture of your cheese)
a pinch sea salt
a pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1 Tbsp chopped parsley leaves (optional)
1 tsp olive oil
The sauce:
1 cup tomato passata (or home-made tomato sauce)
3-4 Tbsp heavy cream
sea salt, to taste
freshly ground white pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp chopped tarragon leaves

1. Prepare the gnocchi batter by combining the cottage cheese, egg, salt, nutmeg and parsley (if using) in a bowl. Mix well with a spoon, then start adding the flour slowly. The batter should be neither too moist nor too dry – you will know it’s ready once the batter (or should we call it dough?) will start detaching from the bowl.
2. At this point you can cover the bowl with a cling film and keep the batter in the fridge for up to 2 days. I would recommend you let it sit in the fridge for at least half an hour.
3. Bring a sufficient amount of water to boil, add a pinch of salt and prepare two teaspoons. Take a bit of cottage cheese batter with one spoon and with the help of the other spoon shape the “gnocchi”. Place one by one into the boiling water. They will cook very fast – once they swim onto the surface they’re cooked. Drain and place the gnocchi onto a serving plate.
4. Pour the tomato passata (or sauce) into a skillet, add heavy cream, salt and ground pepper. Cook for a few minutes to reduce slightly. Remove from heat and mix in the chopped tarragon. Pour the sauce over the gnocchi and serve warm.