Ingredients:

1 lb fresh zucchini ( about 2 medium ones), grated

1 lb ricotta, drained

2 eggs

2 TBSPs grated cheese

5 cups flour, plus more for rolling

Pinch of nutmeg

Salt to taste

Directions:

Grate the zucchini and place in a bowl.

Sprinkle with a little salt and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix together ricotta, eggs, grated cheese, nutmeg and salt.

Remove grated zucchini from the bowl they were sitting in and squeeze out any liquid they released.

Add dry zucchini to ricotta mix and blend.

Gradually add flour to the mix, a little at a time.

When dough comes together, remove from bowl and place on a lightly floured clean surface.

Knead by hand until dough is smooth and soft but no longer sticks to your fingers.

Add a bit more flour if needed.

Cut dough into equal chunks.

Roll each chunk into a log, about an inch in diameter.

Cut each log in 1 inch nuggets (gnocchi) and place on a floured cookie sheet.

Bring water to a boil in a pasta pot.

Add salt.

When water boils, carefully add gnocchi to the pot.

Fresh made pasta cooks quickly so, as soon as the gnocchi float to the surface, they’re done.

Drain and dress with your favorite sauce.

TIPS:

Depending on how much liquid you still have from ricotta and grated zucchini, you will probably need more flour. Also, use flour for rolling dough into logs and on cookie sheet or they will stick together.

These gnocchi have the same texture as the regular potato gnocchi but taste more creamy because of the ricotta. And, even though the recipe has zucchini, you won’t taste them at all.

I like to use my sage, butter and olive oil sauce for these gnocchi. It cooks by the the time the gnocchi are ready to drain. Just put 3 TBSPs olive oil and 2 of butter in a sauté pan. Add two garlic cloves. Sauté until garlic is golden. Remove garlic and add sage leaves. Shut off heat. Add drained gnocchi and a little cooking water. Mix well over low flame for one minute. Serve hot.