getfood: Ricotta Dumplings with Best-Ever Mushroom Sauce

These not-quite-traditional dumplings made with ricotta and Parmesan cheese are creamy, filling, and just plain comfort food. Top them off with a batch of my "best-ever mushrooms sauce" — which is always better than I remember — and you've got a delicious dinner that is an improvement on tradition, as far as I'm concerned! I really could eat the sauce just all on its own, but the dumplings are a serious update — dare I say improvement — on tradition. I have served this sauce with plenty of foods, including scalloped potatoes, black-eyed pea and quinoa croquettes and fresh pasta. It is one of my favorite staple sauces and a big hit with everyone who has tried it.

Ricotta Dumplings with Best-Ever Mushroom Sauce

Recipe by Lisa Turner
Published on July 12, 2009

Soft creamy ricotta and Parmesan cheese dumplings smothered in a tangy "best ever" mushroom sauce

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Ingredients:

1 cup ricotta cheese
2 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup unbleached white flour
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons cornmeal
fresh grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh chives for garnish
1 batch of best-ever mushroom sauce (recipe below)

Instructions:

To make the dumplings, beat together the ricotta, egg yolks and Parmesan in a large bowl. Add the flour and beat until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold the egg whites into the ricotta mixture in two additions. Next fold in the breadcrumbs and cornmeal.
Fill a heavy skillet or large wok with enough water to reach a depth of two inches. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Drop the ricotta batter by rounded tablespoons into the water. Cover and cook for 4 minutes. Turn the dumplings, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
To complete the dish, place the dumplings on a platter or in a large serving bowl, and spoon the mushroom sauce over the dumplings. Sprinkle with fresh cracked black pepper, fresh grated Parmesan cheese and chopped chives.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Best-Ever Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, chopped
1 pound white mushrooms, or with some creminis, sliced
1 cup plain whole fat yogurt at room temperature
juice of 1 or 2 lemons, to taste (3 to 5 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour (optional)
fresh ground black pepper to taste
Notes: Use whole fat yogurt at room temperature to avoid curdling. Cold yogurt curdles in response to abrupt changes in temperature. If using fat-free or low-fat yogurt, stabilize the yogurt first by whisking in 1 teaspoon of cornstarch or flour.

Instructions:

Melt the butter in a large saucepan or wok over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 8 minutes or until they are soft and translucent. Stir in the mushrooms, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are reduced but still slightly plump.
Take the pan off the stove and remove the lid. Stir in the yogurt, then stir in the lemon juice, parsley, mustard and salt. Return the pan to the stove. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce without boiling, stirring occasionally, for at least 30 minutes — or longer if you want a thicker sauce. If you want to speed up the process, stir in a tablespoon of unbleached all-purpose flour a few minutes after adding the yogurt and other ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Before serving, add fresh ground black pepper to taste and stir.

Makes 3 cups