Daring Cooks-Potstickers

This month's challenge was something I was looking forward to trying. I tend to cook Italian food all the time, updating the recipes using some unusual ingredients, especially in desserts, but mostly it is Italian I go for, it is what I grew up with and it comes natural. Until today I hadn't tried anything Asian since I thought I wouldn't know what to do. I took on this challenge with trepidation, but fear not, my readers, this was a great dish of easy execution. And the taste was perfect, it felt like I was eating at a Chinese restaurant.

Jen of use real butter chose the recipe this month, to see the complete recipe click here. To see a complete instructional post with pictures click here. We were asked to make the dough in the traditional way, as opposed to using pre-made wrappers, choose a filling (pork, shrimp, or vegetarian), and a cooking method (steamed, pan fried, or fried).

I decided to stick to the recipe instead of being daring since I was already a day late making them, so there was no time to lose in experiments. I have so many things on my plate right now it is insane! To my surprise it took no more than 15 minutes to put the filling together as it only requires chopping.

The dough is also easy to make and roll. Surprisingly it is made only of warm water and flour, a stiff dough that gets softer after some resting, and roll easily with the use of some flour. I only made one batch and cut 18-0.7 oz. portions. Initially I rolled them too thin, and as you can judge from the jelly fish below, it was hard to shape them. After reviewing Jen's tutorial for a second time, I quickly got a hang on the pleating, and it was smooth sailing after that. The more time consuming part is the rolling, but that again it was not too difficult and the dough cooperated well.

I pan fried the little purses, and used straight soy sauce since there was not time for anything else, but I will try the make one of the sauces Jen suggested in her challenge I am looking forward to making these dumplings again, with pork or fish, or something Italian, and steaming them. I would like to also try the gluten free version Jen suggested in her post, they look so beautiful. A very long time ago, I went to a Chinese New Year party and we assembled potstickers made with a sweet pea shoot filling that was so light and tasty, I would try it but I think it is too late in the season now. There is always a next year.

Thanks to the Daring Bakers' founders, Lis and Ivonne, and to Jen for choosing this delicious recipe.

Check other Daring Cooks' creations below:

Natalia
Simona
Kitchenlander
Susan

Jen
Ivonne
Lis
Audax

Ricotta Gnocchi-Gnocchi di Ricotta

As I don't have enough to do already, I tried to make this recipe for the daring cook challenge. For the very first Daring Cooks' challenge, Lis of La Mia Cucina and Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice, chose a recipe from The Zuni Café Cookbook by Judy Rodgers to make Ricotta Gnocchi. I have heard many things regarding these gnocchi, mostly raving about their amazing texture, so I was really looking forward to trying this recipe. I have learned few things today though. First, don't wait until the last possible day as things can go wrong, even to veteran cooks, second, have a plan B.

Since I had some home made ricotta in the fridge, made using the super simple recipe I got here, I forged ahead thinking it would be a piece of cake. The ricotta had already been drained for a while so I didn't think twice about using it. After I added the rest of the ingredients, including nutmeg and lemon zest, I realized in horror that the mixture looked way too wet. Not having time to make more ricotta nor to shop, I decided to try and add some flour to the dough. I tested the resulting, thicker dough, but the gnocchi fell apart! More flour was added, and the end result was....aheam.... pretty bad. I decided to post this anyway as a warning to others, the ricotta needs to be super dry for these gnocchi to work, not just drained, squeezed to death dry.

I will try again because the flavor and the consistency of the first gnocchi, the ones that fell apart, were pretty amazing.

Click here for the recipe, and here to see a video on how to shape the gnocchi.

Buon Appetito!