We helped with another 3 hour prep before the Valentine’s Dinner Cooking Class at Southern Seasons last week. Mostly because we had to to set the tables for 48 guests who each got 5 glasses for the various wines and then we rolled and cut out the gnocchi, along with chopping and measuring all the ingredients for the demos.

Another fun group of folks taking the class!

The menu was: Fire roasted Red Pepper and Sun-Dried Tomato Soup, Maryland Style Crab Cakes with Remoulade, Grits, Red Wine Braised Beef, Ricotta Gnocchi, Chocolate Pots de Creme. Excellent!

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Ricotta Gnocchi

3 cups baking potatoes, cooked slightly and peeled
12 ounces ricotta cheese, drained in sieve 2 hours before using
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for garnish
2 tsp salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
8 cups water or stock

Mash cooked potatoes in a large bowl with a potato masher . Transfer three cups of mashed potato to a large bowl and chill until very cold.
Add drained ricotta cheese, blending well. Add Parmesan cheese. Mix in flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, until soft dough forms. All three cups of flour may not be needed.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface and divide into six equal pieces. Rolling between palms and floured work surface, form each piece into 20 inch long ropes (About an inch in diameter) sprinkling with flour as needed if sticky.
Cut each rope into about 20 one-inch pieces. Roll each piece over tines of a fork to indent. Transfer to baking sheet and dust with flour.
Bring large pot of salted water or stock to a boil. Working in batches (never overcrowding the pot) boil gnocchi until tender. Transfer gnocchi to a rimmed baking sheet. Cool completely.

*These can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.