Total Recipe cost: $2.58

Servings Per Recipe: 4

Cost per serving: $0.65

Prep time: 20 min. Cook time: 5 min. Total: 25 min.

INGREDIENTS COST 1 (15 oz.) container ricotta cheese $1.99 1 large egg $0.18 1 tsp olive oil $0.04 approx. 2 cups all-purpose flour $0.29 3/4 tsp salt $0.05 10 cranks fresh cracked pepper $0.03 TOTAL $2.58

Step By Step Photos

Drain the gnocchi in a colander and then top with your favorite sauce! Or...

To Freeze Your Gnocchi:

So, have you had gnocchi yet? No? Well, you better get on that. Gnocchi are wonderful little chewy pasta pillows. They're light, fluffy, slightly chewy, and completely satisfying.. Top them with red sauce, cheese, pesto, or just a simple garlic butter. Gnocchi are definitely going on my "must have in the freezer at all times" list ().Oh, and did I mention how simple they are? There are variations made with potato but since mashing potatoes is one of my all-time least favorite activities, I went for the ricotta version. The dough comes together in a matter of minutes then you just roll it out, cut it and pop it into boiling water. Once in the water they take less than five minutes to cook. SERIOUSLY.One more thing.... (there are just so many good things to say about these little guys) You can totally take this recipe in a thousand directions. This recipe is for the most basic, plain flavor. You can add parmesan cheese, garlic powder, nutmeg, or other herbs.I know I'm going to. You can look forward to many many gnocchi recipes in Budget Bytes future.The pricing below is just for the gnocchi themselves since there are so many ways to eat them. They are pictured after being sauteed in garlic butter and topped with just a bit of cheese and parsley. OMG, just talking about them makes me want another bowl.In a medium bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, olive oil, egg, salt, and freshly cracked pepper.Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until it forms a soft sticky dough (about 1.5 cups)Begin boiling a large pot of water. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead in about another 1/2 cup of flour or until the dough no longer sticks to your hands. The dough should still be very soft in texture.Divide the dough into six pieces. Roll each piece out into a rope about 1 inch thick. Cut the rope into 1 inch sections. If desired, roll each piece of dough on the back of a fork to give it a ridged texture.When the water is boiling vigorously, drop the dough pieces into the water. As the gnocchi boil they will begin to rise to the surface. Once all of them are floating on top, let them boil for about 30 seconds to one minute more to ensure thorough cooking. Drain in a colander.Top drained gnocchi with your favorite sauce or garlic butter, salt, and pepper. Enjoy!

Labels: easy, pasta, quick, vegetarian