Light and delicate gnocchi made with ricotta and flecked with fresh basil are a far cry from the more familiar, heavier potato gnocchi. Their flavor reminds me of the filling for good cheese ravioli. Paired with a buttery fresh tomato sauce, they are heavenly. To make gnocchi that are light, not dense, drain the ricotta to eliminate excess liquid so that you won’t have to add too much flour to compensate.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta, preferably whole-milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 6 fresh basil leaves, slivered
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• About 1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 recipe Fresh Tomato-Butter Sauce, heated

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the ricotta in a strainer lined with cheesecloth set over a bowl. Drain for at least several hours, or overnight, in the refrigerator.
2. In a large bowl, beat the egg and yolk until blended. Add the ricotta, basil, Parmesan, salt, and pepper to taste and stir well.
3. Add 1 cup of the flour and stir just until combined. Sprinkle some of the remaining flour on a work surface. Turn the dough out and very gently turn it in the flour. Handle it lightly, adding only as much flour as needed to make a soft dough. Cut the dough into quarters. Set aside, covered with an overturned bowl.
4. Rinse and dry your hands and scrape the work surface clean. Line a large baking sheet with foil and dust it with flour. Dust the work surface with flour.
5. Roll one quarter of the dough into a 1-inch-thick log. Cut it into ½-inch slices. Arrange the slices on the baking sheet so that they do not touch. Repeat with the remaining dough. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator until ready to use. (The gnocchi can be refrigerated overnight or frozen for up to 1 month. To freeze, place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze until firm, then transfer the gnocchi to a freezer bag, seal tightly, and freeze.)
6. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Have a large heated bowl ready.
7. Drop half of the gnocchi a few pieces at a time into the boiling water so that they do not stick together and stir gently. Lower the heat so that the water is just simmering. When the gnocchi rise to the surface, cook for 30 seconds more.
8. Pour half of the sauce into the heated bowl. Remove the gnocchi from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and place them in the sauce. Spoon on half of the remaining sauce. Cover and keep warm. Cook and drain the remaining gnocchi, add to the bowl, and top with the rest of the sauce.
9. Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.