Sheep’s Milk Ricotta Gnocchi with Corn and Tarragon

• 1 cup sheep’s milk ricotta
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting your work surface
• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for salting water
• Pinch cayenne
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• 6 quarts plus 1/2 cup water, divided
• Kernels from 2 ears corn
• 1/4 cup cream
• Pepper to taste
• Tarragon leaves for garnish

Make the gnocchi: put the ricotta in a cheesecloth-lined colander and use a rubber spatula to push as much liquid as possible out of the cheese. Gather up the ends of the cloth and twist them together, tightening the cheesecloth’s hold on the cheese and squeezing any lingering liquid out of it.

Put the ricotta, flour, Parmigiano-Reggiano, egg yolk, salt, cayenne, and nutmeg in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process just until the mixture comes together into a smooth ball of dough. Be careful not to overmix. If the dough feels sticky, knead in some more flour by hand. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Dust a rimmed baking sheet or cookie sheet lightly with flour. Lightly flour a work surface and place the dough on it. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion into a long rope with a 3/4-inch diameter. With a serrated knife, cut each rope into 1-inch pieces. Gently make an indentation with your thumb in one side of each piece. Arrange the gnocchi in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Cover the gnocchi with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

While the gnocchi chills, make the corn sauce: combine 3/4 cup corn kernels and 1/2 cup water in a food processor. Process until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, using a spatula to press down on the solids. Transfer the corn juice to a small pot over medium heat. Add the cream and reduce the mixture until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve.

In a large pot, bring the remaining water to a boil and season with salt. Add the gnocchi and boil until they float, about 2 minutes. Drain.

To serve, toss the gnocchi with the remaining corn kernels and corn sauce. Divide the gnocchi among serving plates and garnish with tarragon leaves.