Guide to Good Gnocchi

Chef Geoffrey Zakarian shares the secret to tender, pan-crisped ricotta gnocchi.

- JULIAN HENSARLING

RICOTTA GNOCCHI

WHEN GNOCCHI IS BAD, it’s like eating chewy rocks. But when it’s at its best, each pillowy dumpling is a bite of heaven. The difference between the two lies entirely in technique—something chef Geoffrey Zakarian has honed over several decades.

Rather than a traditional potato dough, Zakarian uses whole-milk ricotta cheese to give the dumplings a light and tender texture. While similar to gnudi, which are also Italian dumplings made with ricotta, gnocchi contain more flour, giving the dough just enough structure to be rolled into ropes rather than delicately scooped into balls.

Cooking the gnocchi is simple and straightforward: Boil them in salted water in batches so they don’t overcrowd the pot and bring down the temperature of the water. They let you know when they are almost ready, floating to the surface of the boiling water exactly two minutes before they’re finished. (If you are cooking gnocchi for a crowd or want to get ahead on your prep, the boiled gnocchi can be refrigerated on an oiled baking sheet for up to 1 day.)

Once cooked, Zakarian crisps the gnocchi with brown butter, pancetta, and fried sage. First, cook the pancetta until it starts to brown, then add butter to the skillet; cook it until your kitchen is filled with the aroma of lightly browned butter. Then add fresh sage leaves to the pan. As they toast in the butter and pancetta fat, the herbal and buttery flavors coalesce. Add the boiled gnocchi in batches—again, you want to avoid overcrowding the pan—and a hit of lemon juice to brighten the rich sauce. As the gnocchi cooks, each one will get lightly crispy on the outside while remaining fluffy and soft in the center.