Into the Sauce’s Ricotta Gnocchi With Zucchini, Corn, and Pine Nuts

Method

• Spread ricotta between a couple of layers of paper towel on the bottom and top and gently press to remove as much moisture as possible.
• Prepare a large pot of salted, boiling water for your gnocchi.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan, egg yolks, and salt flakes.
• Very gently incorporate the flour until combined. You may need to add a little more if your ricotta has a higher moisture content – the dough should be soft, light and workable (not too sticky).
• Cut dough into two pieces and roll each piece out onto a floured surface one by one, then cut into gnocchi pieces using a bench scraper or knife. I like to shape my rolls into around 2cm diameter and then cut the pieces in 2cm lengths, making 2cm pillows. Place them on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper on a tray that you can lift up and use to slide them straight into the boiling water.
• In a large pot, add pine nuts and a dash of olive oil and cook until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
• Heat remaining olive oil over medium-low heat and fry zucchini until it starts to go golden, stirring often.
• Add corn, lemon rind, and garlic and cook until the corn is vibrant and tender.
• Take off the heat and let sit for a couple of minutes to drop in temperature.
• Stir through butter and basil leaves, then gradually add parmesan while stirring (gradually to make sure it emulsifies with the sauce rather than clumping up).
• Meanwhile, gently lower gnocchi into boiling salted water, reserving 1 cup of pasta water and straining off the gnocchi using a slotted spoon when they float to the top. If you don’t want to use the gnocchi immediately, place them into a bowl of iced water to cool, then strain and toss with oil to prevent sticking together and store in the fridge or at room temperature.
• Toss gnocchi and pine nuts through the sauce, season and add a good squeeze of lemon juice, to taste.