We stumbled across Bon Appetit's Ricotta Dumplings with Asparagus & Green Garlic recipe and were inspired to recreate the dish using all local ingredients from The Market at 100km Foods!
These ricotta dumplings are so perfectly light and fluffy! Instead of serving them in a chicken stock based sauce like Bon Appetit, we opted to serve these dumplings in an herb and garlic butter sauce made with our Sheldon Creek garlic and herb flavoured butter, white wine, and lemon juice!
Meet Our Farmers & Producers
Quality Cheese
Undoubtedly the star of the show in this ricotta dumpling recipe, Quality Cheese's Bella Casara ricotta cheese is a gorgeous strained ricotta that has a porcelain white, rich, creamy texture with mild and clean flavour.
Located in Vaughan, Quality Cheese is owned and operated by the Borgo Brothers. They are award winning cheese producers who pride themselves in using only the freshest milk and ingredients, paying attention to every detail, and using the best practices and techniques to make great cheese.
K2 Milling
Mark Hayhoe is the man behind K2 Milling and all the amazing flours we sell at The Market, including the all-purpose "Viking" flour used to make the pillowing ricotta dumplings in this recipe.
Gunn's Hill
Handeck is one of Gunn's Hill's most popular cheeses! This cheese was named after the town in Switzerland where Shep, Gunn's Hill's cheesemaker, studied cheesemaking. Handeck is a Swiss-style, hand-crafted washed rind cow's milk cheese, that is delicately aged on cedar wood planks giving the cheese a robust flavour and we used it in place of Parmesan in this recipe.
Homestead Farm
Our Homestead Farms eggs are sourced from Homestead Farm and a small community of Mennonite Farmers. We carry their free-run, free roaming and organic eggs and all their eggs come from small flocks that receive a high level of care.
Vancouver Island Sea Salt
Our flaky sea salt from Vancouver Island Salt Co. is a must-try local alternative to the popular Malden brand! It is sustainably produced and hand harvested in small batches in Vancouver Island.
Vancouver Island Sea Salt is completely natural with over 30 trace minerals intact, meaning that none of the additives or chemicals that are commonly found in mass-produced sea salts — a difference you can taste!
Welsh Bros
Our Ontario asparagus is from Welsh Bros Farm located in Scotland, ON. Welsh Bros is a family farm that constantly strives to produce the highest quality, best tasting produce possible. Their asparagus is hand-harvested after three years of carefully nurturing the plant.
Sheldon Creek
Sheldon Creek single-herd, pastured during the Spring and Summer. Their milk and dairy products are natural and minimally processed. We used their garlic & herb flavoured butter in our white wine butter sauce to add an extra kick of flavour than regular butter.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Bella Casara by Quality Cheese ricotta
- 1 cup finely grated Gunn's Hill Handeck Cheese, plus more (for serving)
- 1 medium Homestead Farm egg, room temperature
- 1 medium Homestead Farm egg yolk, room temperature
- 2¼ teaspoons Vancouver Island Sea Salt, plus more
- ¼ cup K2 Milling AP flour, plus more for dusting dumplings
- 1lb Welsh Bros asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups of water
- 2 tbsp chopped Mike & Mike's Organic chives
- Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
- Olive oil (for drizzling)
For the White Wine Butter Sauce
- 6 tbsp Sheldon Creek Herb & Garlic Butter
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 tsp fresh Mike & Mike's Organic lemon juice
Method
Measure out 1½ cups your Bella Casara ricotta and add it to a food processor,. Add your Handeck cheese, egg, egg yolk and salt into the processor with the ricotta and pulse just until smooth.
Sprinkle your flour over ricotta mixture and pulse again until just combined. Transfer dumpling batter to a medium bowl.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust generously with flour. Using a metal spoon, scoop out about 2–3 tsp of the batter and scrape the spoon against the side of your bowl at a 45° angle to smooth batter.
Dip your index finger in flour and, using your finger tip, push batter off spoon and let it drop onto the flour dusted baking sheet. The dumpling will slightly curve at each ends. Dust the tops with more some more flour before you make the next dumpling. Repeat until your batter is done and set your dumplings aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and lightly salt with Vancouver Island Sea Salt. Add your Welsh Bros asparagus to the water and let cook for about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl of ice water (this shocks the asparagus and stops the cooking so that all that gorgeous green colour stays in tact and your asparagus doesn't overcook. Drain and pat dry.
In the same bot of water, cook your dumplings. Start by adding 8 dumplings to the pot and let cook until they float on the surface.
Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat your pan on medium-high heat and add your white wine and let cook off a bit. Then, add your garlic butter and lemon juice and let simmer. Remove your dumplings from the pot and place them directly into the pan. Gently, baste your dumplings with the sauce.
Next, add your asparagus, chives, and lemon juice to the pan and toss to warm up the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Remove the dumplings from the pan and pour over any excess white wine butter sauce. Serve dumplings with more grated Handeck cheese and drizzle with olive oil.
Serve immediately!
