Ricotta Drop Dumplings with Peas and Lemon Butter

Use the Small Fridge Well

About 20 small dumplings; 2 supper portions · Active 35 min · Total 1 hr 20 min

Ricotta makes soft spoon-shaped dumplings without rolling a long rope of dough across the camper counter. A modest amount of flour helps the cheese and egg hold together in gently simmering water. The same saucepan then warms peas and lemon butter for the finish. These are tender cheese dumplings rather than chewy pasta; use a light hand and let a test dumpling show whether your particular ricotta needs a little more flour.

Jump to ingredients

Soft ricotta drop dumplings with peas and lemon butter.

Drain the ricotta before measuring the dough

Use firm pasteurized ricotta rather than a very wet cheese floating in whey. Give it a short drain in a sieve over a bowl, then press lightly with a spoon. This removes obvious loose liquid without squeezing it completely dry. Different brands retain different amounts of water, which is why the recipe includes a small measured flour reserve. Adding all that flour automatically would make a firmer dumpling than many tubs require.

A test dumpling saves the batch

Bring the water only to a gentle simmer. Fierce boiling knocks soft dumplings against one another and can break them even when the dough is sound. Shape a small spoonful between two spoons and cook it first. It should stay together and become set through. If it disperses, stir a little of the reserved flour into the remaining dough and rest briefly before trying again. Do not taste raw dough: it contains uncooked egg and flour. Check the cooked center instead.

One pot, two batches, one quick finish

Lift the cooked dumplings with a slotted spoon onto warm plates and cover loosely for the short second batch. The pot needs enough open space that the dumplings float without piling together. Cook peas in the same water, drain them and empty the pot carefully into a safe sink. Melt the butter on low heat, add the lemon and return everything gently. A broad fold coats the dumplings without crushing their soft edges. Serve promptly; this is a relaxed cooking project for a stopped vehicle, not a lunch to rush while packing the campsite.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup firm pasteurized ricotta (250 g), drained for 30 minutes
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (90 g), plus up to 2 tablespoons (15 g) if needed
  • 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan (15 g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (1.5 g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (0.5 g)
  • 6 cups drinking-quality water for cooking (1.4 liters)
  • 1 cup frozen peas (140 g)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter (20 g)
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice (10 ml)
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (2 g)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (4 g)

Set out

Fine sieve and bowl for draining ricotta, Mixing bowl and fork, Two dessert spoons, At least 3-liter (3.2-quart) saucepan, Slotted spoon, Instant-read thermometer, Two plates

Allergens

Milk, Egg, Wheat. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Drain the ricotta in the sieve for 30 minutes, then mix with egg, 90 g flour, Parmesan, salt and pepper using a fork. Rest for 10 minutes. Keep the measured 15 g flour reserve separate.
  2. Bring the measured cooking water to a gentle simmer. With two spoons shape one small oval dumpling, about one-twentieth of the dough, and lower it into the water. Simmer gently until it floats, then for another 3–4 minutes until set through and at least 160°F/71°C in the center. If it falls apart, stir 1 tablespoon of reserved flour into the remaining dough, rest 5 minutes and test again; use the final tablespoon only if needed.
  3. Shape the rest into about 20 similar dumplings in total, including the test piece. Cook in two batches without crowding, using the same gentle simmer and cooked-center check. Lift carefully onto plates and cover loosely for the short wait.
  4. Cook the peas thoroughly in the simmering water according to their packet, usually 3–4 minutes. Drain carefully. Empty the cooking water safely, then return the saucepan to low heat with butter, lemon juice and zest.
  5. Once the butter melts, add cooked peas and dumplings. Fold gently for 30–60 seconds until coated and hot, scatter with parsley and serve immediately.

Choose a day with a little counter time

The dough bowl and draining sieve need safe space while the water heats. Keep the stove area clear and finish this meal before moving or packing the vehicle.

Timing

Includes 30 minutes to drain ricotta and a 10-minute dough rest, with some preparation overlapping. Very wet ricotta or repeated test dumplings can take longer.

A useful detail

The flour reserve responds to a wet ricotta brand; it is not a reason to keep adding flour until the dough is easy to roll. The finished dumplings should be soft but hold their shape.

Another way

  • Replace parsley with the same loose volume of chopped chives.
  • Use cooked broad beans instead of peas, preparing them thoroughly according to their packet before folding through.

Keep it well

Best eaten immediately. Refrigerate cooked dumplings and peas promptly in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or below. Use within 2 days or the ricotta package’s shorter limit. Reheat gently with a splash of water to 165°F/74°C. Do not keep raw egg-and-flour dough at room temperature while doing other jobs.

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