Ricotta Cheese Dumplings

(adapted from Mark Bittman)

When the latest Minimalist column boasted homemade "ricotta gnocchi" without any pre-cooking or dough-rolling, I thought back to my own failed attempt at potato gnocchi, and was hooked. He was right - these are much, much easier than their potato cousin.

Now, I don't know that they satisfy the seemingly-constant true gnocchi craving that plagues me - the best way to describe them is more like ravioli without the pasta covering (hence the modified name) - but they were different, rich, and tasty. And really pretty simple.

I was just cooking for myself, so the recipe below made way too much for just me, and they don't keep well. The below should make about four servings; adjust accordingly. Bittman made them with a sage brown butter sauce, which I bet is fantastic; I opted for a simple tomato sauce (two diced Roma tomatoes, 1-2 tbsp of olive oil, 1/2 tbsp of butter, and basil flakes, salt, and pepper to taste, sauteed until the sauce breaks down). What will you try them with?

You'll need:
Salt to taste
One 15-ounce container ricotta cheese (nonfat is fine, I promise)
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups freshly grated parmesan
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3/4 to 1 cup flour

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Combine the ricotta, eggs and parmesan in a large bowl, along with some salt and pepper. Add about 1/2 cup flour and stir; add more flour until the mixture forms a very sticky dough. Scoop up a spoonful of dough and boil it to make sure it will hold its shape; if it does not, stir in a bit more flour. (They will come apart a little; I think that's OK.)

Drop the ricotta mixture by the rounded tablespoon into the boiling water, working in batches so as not to overload the pot.

When the dumplings rise to the surface, give them a couple minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. When you have enough, top with the sauce of your choosing and serve!