Beet Dough

A few friends and I decided to have a cook off a couple of weekends ago. The goal was to create a unique dish featuring a secret ingredient, and then we all got together for a potluck. (Kinda like Iron Chef, but we had a whole week to prepare if necessary!)

Beet & Cheese Gnocchi (and Perogies!)

1 cup fresh ricotta
1 cup roasted beat puree (approximately 3-4 large beets, roasted, peeled, and pureed)
2 cups flour (sifted), plus additional for flouring work surface
2 whole eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

1. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta and beat puree and mix until evenly combined.

2. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the salt, and pepper.

3. Slowly add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time until it is all incorporated into the dough. If your dough seems a bit too wet, feel free to add an extra 1/4 cup of flour.

4. Turn the dough out onto a heavily floured work surface and knead for a few minutes. The dough will still be fairly wet, but you should be able to handle it.




Gnocchi
5. Working with about a handful of dough at a time, roll out a long snake about an inch thick. Use a floured knife to cut out the gnocchi every inch and a half or so. Roll each gnocchi along the tines of a fork (or simply indent by gently pressing the back of the fork into the side of each nugget).

6. Place the formed gnocchi on a floured baking sheet.

7. When ready to cook, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add the gnocchi in batches. Let cook until they bob to the surface and then cook for an additional 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to pull out of the pot and serve with your favorite sauce.

TIP: For extra crisp, finish in a skillet with a bit of butter and herbs

Perogies
5. Working with a handful of the dough, roll the dough out to 1/4" thickness. Using a circular glass, cut circles out of the dough. 

6. Place a dollop of  your filling (I used the leftover ricotta cheese with a bit of herbs mixed into it) into the center of the perogy. Wet the edges of the dough, and pinch together.

7. Place the formed perogy on a floured baking tray.

8. When ready to cook, bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add the perogies in batches. Let cook until they bob to the surface and then cook for an additional 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to pull out of the pot and transfer into a frying pan that has melted butter. 

9. Lightly fry the perogies until golden brown. Remove and serve hot.