Ricotta Gnudi with Slow Roasted Tomatoes

A recipe from Aran Goyoaga's book, Cannelle et Vanille.

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ICYMI, I spoke with cookbook author Aran Goyoaga about her path to gluten free baking, how she develops recipes, and gluten free’s role in the broader cookbook landscape. Today, I am coming to you with a recipe from one of her books, Cannelle et Vanille.

I don’t do any gluten free cooking, but my brother is a big fan of Aran’s books, and on a recent visit, we made these ricotta gnudi. I’ve made gnudi with wheat flour, and while this recipe uses gluten free flours, I couldn’t really tell a difference. This is a great recipe to have on hand for when you’re feeding a mixed crowd of gluten and gluten free folks.

Ricotta Gnudi with Slow Roasted Tomatoes

From Cannelle et Vanille

Serves 8

For the gnudi

1 pound (454 g) whole-milk ricotta

2 ounces (55 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1 large egg, lightly beaten ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

½ cup (70 g) superfine brown rice flour, plus more for dusting

⅓ to ½ cup (55 g to 80 g) potato starch

For the slow roasted tomatoes

2 pounds (1 kg) whole cherry tomatoes or halved plum tomatoes

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves

1 sprig thyme

1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

To make the gnudi, mix together the ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Stir in the brown rice flour and ⅓ cup of potato starch, adding more starch as needed if the dough is too wet. The dough should be light, not too dry, and able to hold together when spooned. Dust a baking sheet with some more brown rice flour. Using a large soup spoon, scoop up some of the dough and gently tap it to release onto the floured baking sheet. You can use a second spoon to help release the dough. Repeat until you have scooped all the dough. Cover the gnudi with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

To make the slow-roasted tomatoes, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Toss the tomatoes, olive oil, sugar, oregano, thyme, and salt together on a baking sheet or in a large roasting pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until the tomatoes have softened and caramelized. Pick out the thyme sprig and discard. If you are not going to use the tomatoes right away, cool completely and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

When you are ready to cook the gnudi, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Keep the gnudi refrig erated until just before cooking. Gently add the gnudi to the boiling water. Reduce the heat to medium so the water simmers but doesn't boil too harshly, as the gnudi may fall apart. Cook in batches if needed. Once the gnudi float to the top, cook for another 2 to 3 minutes (be careful not to overcook or they will disintegrate). Remove the cooked gnudi from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and transfer to your serving platter. Top the gnudi with the roasted tomatoes and more Parmesan.