If you took a quick glance at the above picture and then expected me to say make this now! or I’ve solved your mid-week dinner crisis! then we can just cut to the chase where I do in fact tell you to make this now because I’ve solved your mid-week dinner crisis. And now we are best friends. You’re welcome.

Seriously, people, there is no reason gnocchi cannot be on your dinner rotation during the work week from hell or during the 15 bazillion phone calls you must make because there were not enough hours in the work day. Really, I am hear to calm you down, talk you off the ledge and say, welcome to gnocchi land, where a simple easy dinner can be made in less time than a verizon call — don’t get me started.

It’s basically an ingredient dump: a few bread crumbs, some fresh herbs, ricotta, and a little parmesan with a few pinches of salt and pepper stirred together. Then it is chilled until firm enough to be rolled into ropes and then cut into little pillows that are tossed into hot salty water to be cooked. It’s these simple recipes, the ones that use up the ingredients we already have on hand, and the ones that require so few steps before becoming extraordinary that I love. There is nothing that needs to be pretentious about cooking or requiring you to buy an ingredient only to get one use out of it while it wastes the rest of its life shoved in the top back corner of your pantry. This is how cooking should be, simple yet elegant. Quick but flavorful. Heavenly to eat and to clean up. And most of all — fun.

Ricotta Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Sage Sauce
From America’s Test Kitchen Cooking for Two

Serves 2

ATK Notes: We prefer to use whole-milk ricotta here, although part-skim ricotta will also work; do not use fat-free ricotta. When rolling out the gnocchi, use just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands and the counter; using too mush flour will make the gnocchi tough. After being cut and spread out on the parchment-lined baking sheet, the gnocchi can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before cooking.

Gnocchi:
10 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 slice high quality white sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for the counter

Sauce:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

For the Gnocchi: Line a fine-mesh strainer set over a deep bowl with 3 paper coffee filters or a triple layer of paper towels. Place the ricotta in the lined strainer, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 300°F. Pulse the bread in a food processor to fine crumbs, about 10 pulses. Spread the crumbs on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until dry and light golden, about 10 minutes; let cool. (You should have about 1/3 cup crumbs.)

Transfer the drained ricotta to the food processor and pulse until the curds break down to a fine, grainy consistency, about 8 pulses. Transfer the processed ricotta to a large bowl and stir in the parmesan, egg, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper until combined. Sprinkle the flour and bread crumbs over the mixture, and stir until well combined. Refrigerate the dough for 15 minutes. Check the texture of the dough and add extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if the dough is too wet.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly dust the counter with flour. With floured hands, roll a lemon-sized piece of dough into 3/4-inch-long pieces and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, dusting the counter with extra flour as needed.

For the Sauce: Melt the butter with the salt in a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally, until the butter is browned and releases a nutty aroma, about 1 1/2 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the shallot and sage until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the lemon juice and cover to keep warm.

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Reduce the heat so that the water is simmering, gently drop half of the gnocchi into the water, and cook until they float to the surface. Continue to cook the gnocchi, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer, until they are cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Scoop the gnocchi from the water with a slotted spoon, allowing excess water to drain back into the pot, and transfer to the covered skillet with the sauce. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi.

Using a rubber spatula, gently toss the gnocchi with the sauce until uniformly coated and serve.