Ricotta Dumplings With Buttered Peas and Asparagus

Name: Ricotta Dumplings With Buttered Peas and Asparagus
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 cups whole-milk ricotta; 2 large eggs; Kosher salt and black pepper; 3/4 cup all-purpose flour; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving; 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced; 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends removed, cut into 2-inch pieces; 2 cups shelled fresh or frozen peas; 3 cups pea shoots or leaves, thick stems removed; 1/4 cup parsley or mint leaves, for serving; Parmesan or pecorino, for serving

By Alison Roman

Total Time: 30 minutes
Rating: 4(2,443)
Comments: Read comments

These dumplings are a way to get the satisfaction of making your own pasta without having to make your own pasta. This recipe doesn’t require you to drain the ricotta, but if you notice that yours is especially wet, you may want to add a tablespoon or two more of flour to make sure the dough stays together. It should be like a very wet biscuit dough (and not pourable or soupy). As for the vegetables, this dish is a truly excellent canvas for anything seasonal (asparagus and peas in the spring, cherry tomatoes in the summer, mushrooms in the fall, squash in the winter), so adjust as you like.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

2cups whole-milk ricotta
2large eggs
Kosher salt and black pepper
¾cup all-purpose flour
4tablespoons unsalted butter
2tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
1large leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
1bunch asparagus, woody ends removed, cut into 2-inch pieces
2cups shelled fresh or frozen peas
3cups pea shoots or leaves, thick stems removed
¼cup parsley or mint leaves, for serving
Parmesan or pecorino, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Make the recipe with us

Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Step 2
Combine ricotta and eggs in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and, using a large wooden or metal spoon, gently mix in the flour, taking care not to overmix (which could result in tough dumplings).
Step 3
Meanwhile, heat butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add leeks and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks have softened completely and are starting to pick up some color, 5 to 8 minutes.
Step 4
Add asparagus and peas to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until asparagus is just tender and bright green, 2 to 4 minutes, depending on its thickness. Remove from heat while you cook the dumplings.
Step 5
When the water is at a nice steady boil, drop the ricotta mixture into the pot by the heaping spoonful. (The dumplings will expand in the water, so make them slightly smaller than you’d like them to end up.) Be careful not to crowd the pot; cook the dumplings in batches if need be.
Step 6
Once the dumplings rise to the top, let them boil until cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. (You can always pull one out and cut it in half to test its doneness; the texture will go from dense and doughy to light and pillowy.)
Step 7
As the dumplings finish cooking, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the skillet with the peas and asparagus. Once they’re all in there, give everything a quick toss over medium heat just to evenly coat the dumplings in the buttery sauce. Add pea shoots and toss just to wilt slightly.
Step 8
Transfer to a large serving bowl or platter and top with parsley, cheese and more olive oil, if you like.

Ratings

4 out of 5

2,443 user ratings

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Comments

elle6 years ago

Hint about the dumplings: They benefit from sitting for about 20 minutes so that the flour absorbs the moisture from the egg and cheese. If you make them immediately, they will fall apart.

Alinda6 years ago

Skip the dumplings - not worth the time, and difficult to get right! Simply prepare the vegetables (add garlic, chives & lemon juice) and serve over pasta - top w/ ricotta and/or Parmesan!

Catherine6 years ago

Delicious. I took someone else's advice and put a little lemon zest in the dumpling batter; the market had lovely fresh favas so I subbed those for the peas; and we had no pea shoots so I used spinach. Will make again.

Christy1 month ago

I was nervous that these would not turn out because it's my first time making anything like this, I helped the recipe, also added some lemon zest and fresh basil to the batter per other people's suggestions. Because my plans changed, it sat in the fridge for two days and still turned out great! I did not bring to a full boil (as other suggested), and also wanted the outside a little crispy, so I sautéed them by themselves in a little butter- YUM! I will definitely make this again.

Sharon J1 month ago

Really enjoyed this. I added additional whole wheat flour. I made the dumpling dough, mixing only lightly, and refrigerated until dinner time. Had no problem With the dumplings hanging together. It was all very flavorful and def channeled spring. Would add lemon zest next time.

JJ2 months ago

Dumpling dough was a bit looser than in the video, maybe because one egg had a double yolk? They still cooked up well just needed more time and tending. I added chopped mint and green garlic to the dough, it came out very flavorful.

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