Monday, November 14, 2016

Baked Ricotta Gnudi With Vodka

Hi...It's been a few weeks...but I'm back....and with a nice comfortable recipe......You know I love Pasta..or anything Italian for that matter...Here is a new recipe....Baked Ricotta Gnudi With Vodka..

Ricotta Gnudi with creamy, garlicky vodka sauce with a nice layer of melted mozzarella. These dumpling-like gnocchi are made with ricotta instead of potatoes. They're super easy and fast! If this dish doesn't bring the folks running to the table, I'm not really sure what will! 

INGREDIENTS: 


For the vodka sauce:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 7 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • One 28-ounce can San Marzano crushed tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup vodka
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
In a sauce pot with lid, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, but be careful not to burn it. 
  1. Add the tomato paste. Caramelize a bit by cooking it for about 45 seconds.
  2. Add the crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, pepper flakes, bay leaf and 2 tablespoons of water.
  3. Once the sauce begins to simmer, turn the heat to low and cover with lid only half-way. Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes stirring every 5 minutes.
  4. After the sauce has simmered and thickened, heat a separate large pan over medium-high heat and add the vodka. Be careful not to flame it!
  5. Reduce the vodka by half, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  6. Add the tomato sauce into the pan. (Watch out for splatter!) Simmer for 2 minutes
  7. Add the cream and simmer for another minute. Turn the heat off.
FOR THE BAKED GNUDI:
  • 2 cups smooth ricotta cheese
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1 tablespoon fine salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh black pepper
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • Vodka sauce (see recipe above)
  • 1 fresh mozzarella ball
  • Fresh black pepper
  1. Pre-heat oven to 400° F.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta, eggs, Parmesan,
  3. Add the flour in 2 additions mixing in between. Don't over mix! The dough will be sticky.
  4. With floured hands, form the gnudi into 1 1/2 tablespoon dumplings. Softly roll the dough into a ball and then flatten. Rest the gnudi on a floured surface. Repeat until all dumplings are formed. It will make about 34 to 36 gnudi.
  5. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
  6. Using a spoon, create a whirlpool in the boiling water and add in the gnudi. Mix the water for a minute or so. This will help the gnudi not to stick to the bottom of the pot.
  7. Boil the gnudi for about 6 minutes. They will float! Keep them in for an additional 2 minutes after they've floated.
  8. Drain the gnudi and return them to the hot pot.
  9. In a baking dish, place a tiny bit of the vodka sauce on the bottom. Place some of the gnudi along the bottom in one layer. Top with some sauce. Place another layer of gnudi, then sauce. Continue until you've used up all the gnudi and then top with the remainder of the sauce.
  10. Lay the sliced fresh mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese over top.
  11. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is all melty! If you want to char the cheese a bit more, broil on high for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve warm.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, Enjoy!  Eat Well My Friends!
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Food Safety Tips
Protect yourself against food-borne illnesses.


1. Use a "refrigerator thermometer" to keep your food stored at a safe temperature (below 40 degrees fahrenheit).

Cold temperatures slow the growth of bacteria. Ensuring that your refrigerator temperature stays at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder is one of the most effective ways to reduce your risk of food-borne illness. You can buy a refrigerator/freezer thermometer at appliance stories, home centers (i.e. Home Depot), and kitchen stores including online ones, such as Cooking.com.

2. Defrost food in the refrigerator, the microwave, or in cold water... never on the counter!

Perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter for longer than two hours because, while the center of the food may remain frozen, the outer surface may enter the Danger Zone, the range of temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees fahrenheit, in which bacteria multiply rapidly. If you’re short on time, use the microwave or you can thaw meat and poultry in airtight packaging in cold water. Change the water every half-hour so it stays cold and use the thawed food immediately.

3. Always use separate cutting boards for raw meat/poultry/fish and cooked foods/fresh produce.

Bacteria from uncooked meat, poultry, and fish can contaminate cooked foods and fresh produce. An important way to reduce this risk is to use separate cutting boards for raw meat/poultry/ fish, and cooked foods/fresh produce.

4. Always cook meat to proper temperatures, using a calibrated instant-read thermometer to make sure.

One effective way to prevent illness is to use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat, poultry, and egg dishes. The USDA Recommended Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures are as follows:

* Beef, veal, and lamb (steaks and roasts), fish - 145 degrees fahrenheit

* Pork and ground beef - 160 degrees fahrenheit

* Poultry - 165 degrees fahrenheit.

Cook meats like roasts and steaks to lower temperatures, closer to medium-rare, so that they retain their moisture. It is recommended that those who are at high risk for developing food-borne illness (i.e. pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborns, young children, older adults, people with weakened immune systems, or certain chronic illnesses) should follow the USDA guidelines.

5. Avoid unpasteurized/raw milk and cheeses made from unpasteurized milk that are aged less than 60 days.

Raw milk is milk from cows, sheep, or goats that has not been pasteurized (heated to a very high temperature for a specific length of time) to kill harmful bacteria that may be present. These bacteria, which include salmonella, E. coli and listeria, can cause serious illness and sometimes even death. The bacteria in raw milk can be especially dangerous to pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses. Raw milk cheeses aged 60 days or longer are okay, since the salt and acidity of the cheese-making process make for a hostile environment to pathogens.

6. Never eat "runny" eggs or foods, such as cookie dough, that contain raw eggs.

Even eggs that have clean, intact shells may be contaminated with salmonella, so it’s important to cook eggs thoroughly until both the yolk and the white are firm. Casseroles and other dishes containing eggs should be cooked to 160 degrees fahrenheit and you can use an instant-read food thermometer to check. Eggs should always be cooked fully and those who are at high risk for developing foodborne illness (pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborns, young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems or certain chronic illnesses should follow the USDA guidelines. If you can’t resist runny eggs or sampling cookie batter, use pasteurized eggs. They’re found near other eggs in large supermarkets.

7. Always wash your hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds before handling food and after touching raw meat, poultry, or eggs.

You can pick up a lot of bacteria out in the world, so it’s important to always wash your hands before you eat or prepare food. You should also wash your hands after touching any uncooked meat, poultry, fish, or eggs, as the bacteria from these foods can contaminate cooked foods and fresh produce. Use soap and warm water and wash thoroughly for at least 20 seconds.

8. Always heat leftover foods to 165 degrees fahrenheit.

The USDA recommends heating all cooked leftovers to 165 degrees fahrenheit in order to kill all potentially dangerous bacteria.

9. Never eat meat, poultry, eggs, or sliced fresh fruits and vegetables that have been left out for more than two hours or more than one hour in temperatures hotter than 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you leave perishable foods out of the refrigerator or freezer for more than two hours they may enter the Danger Zone—the unsafe temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, in which bacteria multiply rapidly.

10. Whenever there’s a food recall, check products stored at home to make sure they are safe.

You should discard any food that’s been recalled because it’s associated with the outbreak of a food-borne illness. But, according to a survey conducted by Rutgers University during the fall of 2008, only about 60% of Americans search their homes for foods that have been recalled because of contamination. For more information on food recalls, visit the website Recalls.gov






Cavier & Vodka
Courtesy of The Lady (Bug) of the Household