Recipe: Ricotta Gnocchi with Peas and Herbed-Lemon Butter

While I love being in the kitchen, there are times when I just need a quick but nice meal. I have a list of these meals that I keep tucked away for when company shows up unexpectedly or I want a bit of an extra-fancy feel to our average daily meal. Polenta, ravioli, and especially gnocchi tend to be my go-to’s because the meals are filling, beautiful, and easily adapted to what I have on hand at the time.

These recipes often can use store-bought products to speed up the process, such as using wontons for the ravioli and pre-made gnocchi (just make sure to buy freshly made — there is a big flavor difference!)

I have a weakness for ricotta gnocchi. The lightness and flavor is hard to match with their denser cousin, the potato gnocchi. Each version has a place in my kitchen, but I find I reach for the ricotta recipe during spring to pair with the fresh, seasonal flavors.

Store-bought gnocchi makes this a super quick meal but I’ve also been known to make a double batch of homemade gnocchi, freeze the extra, and make a few different gnocchi dishes throughout the month. As for the butter sauce, I’ll mix and match the herbs based on what I have growing at the time so feel free to play around with different flavors!