Raspberry Cheesecake Gnocchi
What Is Raspberry Cheesecake Gnocchi?
Raspberry Cheesecake Gnocchi takes a savory Italian favorite and turns it into a sweet and slightly tart dessert. The gnocchi (dumplings) are made from cream cheese, ricotta cheese and a graham cracker flour, pan-fried in brown butter and served with a homemade raspberry sauce.
Where’d It Come From?
Once upon a time I had a slight obsession with the Food Network. One of my favorite shows was ‘Best Things I Ever Ate’ in which chefs would talk about the best foods they’ve had based on that episode’s theme. On one episode, Chef Danny Boome described an amazing Toasted Ricotta Gnocchi he had at Jane Restaurant in New York City. What made the dish special at the time was that the chef subbed out potato for ricotta cheese and drenched it in a truffle cream sauce (always a good move). I had the pleasure of trying this dish during my first visit to the city where my Airbnb was just around the corner from the restaurant!
The point here being that my idea for this recipe comes from this encounter with the cheesy dumpling entree. Then I figured, cheesecake is also cheesy (and New Yorky (not to be confused with an assertive breed of Yorkies)) – why not combine them?
Want to dig deeper into the roots of these dishes? Check out our Food History 101 Blog!
– Click here to learn about the origin of Cheesecake
– Click here to learn about the history of Gnocchi
How’s It Made?
Makes: 4 - 6 servings | Passive prep time: 1 hour | Active prep/cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
Cheesecake Gnocchi
4 oz ricotta
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
1 egg
1 cup ground graham cracker (see Step 1 for instructions)
4 tbs sugar
4 tbs butter
Splash of vanilla extract
Flour for dusting
Raspberry Sauce
2 cups raspberries
1 ¾ cup water
⅓ cup sugar
1.5 tbs cornstarch dissolved in water
Instructions:
In a food processor, grind graham crackers until it reaches a fine, flour-like texture.
Combine all gnocchi cheesecake ingredients in a large bowl and mix (you may need to use your hands). Cover and refrigerate for one hour.
As the gnocchi dough chills, make the raspberry sauce. In a small saucepan, combine all raspberry sauce ingredients except for the cornstarch. Bring to boil and reduce heat to a simmer for 30 minutes.
Place a sieve over a bowl and pour in the sauce. Mash the raspberries into the sieve and discard seeds.
Return sauce to saucepan and add in dissolved cornstarch. Mix constantly as you bring to a boil for one minute. Remove from heat and store in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Create the gnocchi by dusting your hands with flour and form one-inch oval balls.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and drop the gnocchi in.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a pan – heat until there’s a brown tint. Once the gnocchi are floating to the top of the water, use a slotted spoon to scoop them up and add them directly into the melted butter (be careful as you will be in the splash zone).
Brown the gnocchi until golden brown on each side.
Serve immediately with raspberry sauce.
