Ricotta gnocchi with girolles...

I love eating (and making) gnocchi and this, pared with mushrooms is to me, just wonderful!!

Gnocchi (for 2)

75g /half a cup flour (more for dusting)

2 egg yolks

250g/1 cup  ricotta

30g/third of cup parmesan cheese 

1 heaped tablespoon of chives (dried to soak up some moisture)

salt and pepper

In a bowl, using a wooden spoon, mix together all the ingredients until evenly mixed.  Let the mix rest half an hour in the fridge to firm up.  Divide into three balls and roll them into even sausage shapes, handling them lightly.  Divide into equal pieces, then pressing on a folk roll away the gnocchi so you have a indentation one side and lines on the other side (see photo - it would be more pronounced if making potato ones, but these are quite delicate).  They need to be cooked straight away or back into the fridge (no more than a few hours) .

For cooking, bring a pan of salted water to the boil, putting them in gently.  When they rise count to ten and with a slotted spoon remove them to your awaiting sauce (see below - using girolles and butter here).

Girolles (or any mushrooms)

I used 250g which is half a pound (you could add more if you want)

Clean the mushrooms with a brush and cut the larger ones so they are all even, trimming any very dirty or sandy parts.  In an open non-stick pan with a few tablespoons of olive oil, add the mushrooms with some salt and keep turning them for about seven minutes.  Add in two heaped tablespoons of butter at the end and put the pan to one side keeping them warm while you cook the gnocchi.  Put in your gnocchi with four tablespoons of the cooking water to make an emulsion with the butter.  Poach the gnocchi and mushrooms for a few more minutes to infuse, then serve.

If you have never made these before, you must give them a go because they are nothing compared to the shop bought ones....