A few weeks ago when Lucy and I went to the trade shows for the shop I got home early afternoon after picking her up from her cousins place with a severe case of the motherly guilts. Like any case of the guilts (motherly, or otherwise) it was completely unwarranted and she was fine having spent just over 24 hours with her Uncle and cousins having fun, sleeping and eating well and I was working which shouldn’t bring guilt to it…and yet it always does! I went into full “best Mum” mode, playing Barbies and then Babies, puzzles and playing and I even let her help me cook dinner which in this case, was pure comfort food for me: ricotta gnocchi.
Because I was feeling extra guilty I decided to make a nap sauce (plain tomato sauce) but pack it with hidden veggies so that I could also feel better about my guilt by knowing I was giving the kids a nutritious meal. Bonus for me was that I LOVE this kind of food and I enjoyed it and the process just as much as she did.
I have had so many people ask for this recipe so I thought I better get it online stat. No more feeling guilty about that too! Excuse the bad photos on this post I used them all from my phone as I wasn’t planning on blogging the recipe properly. You can find more details of the sauce in my Instagram stories highlights under WOOLIES.
Ricotta Gnocchi with hidden veggie tomato sauce
2 bottles tomato passata
1 red onion
2-3 garlic cloves
Blitzed or grated veggies I used these from Woolies
Handful of fresh cherry tomatoes
500 grams fresh ricotta cheese
1 cup plain flour
1 egg
Grated parmesan cheese
1. Cut up the onion and garlic and fry off in olive oil seasoning with salt and pepper until soft. Add in the grated or packet of riced (finely chopped) veggies until soft then add in the cherry or freshly cut tomatoes for a min or so and then the tomato pasata. Let it simmer and bubble for as long as you have to develop the flavours. I added in some fresh basil to the sauce as well as I had it from the garden. I ended up using a stick blender to make the sauce a little smoother as I thought chunky veggies might cause concern for Maggie but otherwise leave it as is as you can see it looks like a bolognese!
2. To prepare the gnocchi into a bowl place the ricotta, egg, cup of plain flour and some salt & pepper. If you have parmesan on hand I would add in about a cup of grated cheese as well. Mix with a spoon and then transfer onto a floured bench (the mixture is very wet so make sure you add in lots of flour). Once it’s all combined I take a handful of mixture and roll it into a sausage shape then cut into 2-3 cm lengths. Set aside until your water is boiling.
3. To cook the gnocchi boil a large pot of water and add in a handful of pieces at a time (I could get about 10-12 or so in a batch) when they are cooked they will pop up and float and it only takes a few minutes. You can then add into your bowl, add the tomato sauce on and mix to serve with some more parmesan on top. Another thing you can do is fry off the gnocchi to give it a little crust…this is extra yum!
Ricotta Gnocchi with veggie packed tomato sauce
Ingredients
- 2 bottles tomato passta
- 1 red onion finely diced
- 2-3 minced garlic cloves
- 1 handful cherry tomatoes or chopped fresh tomatoes of any kind
- 500 grams fresh ricotta
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1 egg
- 1 cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- Cut up the onion and garlic and fry off in olive oil seasoning with salt and pepper until soft. Add in the grated or packet of riced (finely chopped) veggies until soft then add in the cherry or freshly cut tomatoes for a min or so and then the tomato pasata. Let it simmer and bubble for as long as you have to develop the flavours. I added in some fresh basil to the sauce as well as I had it from the garden. I ended up using a stick blender to make the sauce a little smoother as I thought chunky veggies might cause concern for Maggie but otherwise leave it as is as you can see it looks like a bolognese!
- To prepare the gnocchi into a bowl place the ricotta, egg, cup of plain flour and some salt & pepper. If you have parmesan on hand I would add in about a cup of grated cheese as well. Mix with a spoon and then transfer onto a floured bench (the mixture is very wet so make sure you add in lots of flour). Once it's all combined I take a handful of mixture and roll it into a sausage shape then cut into 2-3 cm lengths. Set aside until your water is boiling.
- To cook the gnocchi boil a large pot of water and add in a handful of pieces at a time (I could get about 10-12 or so in a batch) when they are cooked they will pop up and float and it only takes a few minutes. You can then add into your bowl, add the tomato sauce on and mix to serve with some more parmesan on top. Another thing you can do is fry off the gnocchi to give it a little crust…this is extra yum!
This gave us so much extra sauce too that I kept in the fridge for the week and used in cannelloni later in the week. It just got better with time!
What’s your go-to comfort food or guilt reliever?
What’s your mum guilt remedy?
This looks wonderful Beth. Dinner sorted. When you do fried gnocchi do you boil them first or straight into the fry pan? Thank you
Thank you!!
When I saw the word “gnocchi” I almost flicked past. Having made traditional potato gnocchi, which is delicious but time consuming, I wasn’t going to guilt myself with your guilty gnocchi!
I’m so glad I read this wonder! It’s going on the meal plan for the weekend on a suitably cold day for warming of “cockles” and spirits.
I never thought of using that vegie “rice” in my cooking to hide the veggies…..from myself lol. I am the WORST vegetable eater (my kids are better at it than me), so this could be just the health boost I need! Thanks Beth 🙂
We had “Beth from Burrawang” Gnocchi tonight for dinner. It was devine. So easy and so delish!!
excellent!
I made this a week ago for my family and I and everyone loved it! The 15yo son asked for double next time so today I am prepping a double batch. Perfect on this rainy Hobart day.
It’s a great simple recipe – we love it too. So happy to hear!
Finally made this! Have been waiting for a suitable mother guilt day to make this recipe and today was the day, after the work-from-home and kids-at-home dynamic just got too much (mainly for me!) My four year old helped me with the gnocchi just like Mags and he loved doing something together after a day of me being totally caught up with work. Everyone loved it – super easy to make. Thanks Beth x
Perfect! You won’t look back now you have done it once!
My whole fussy family of 5 LOVE this!
It’s so quick and easy to make, hidden veggies and perfect for comforting wintery days!
This makes me so happy!