Ricotta Gnocchi with Wild Boar Ragu

• 3 pounds russet potatoes (about 3 large potatoes), cooked until soft, then cooled (see note)
• 24 ounces fresh whole-milk ricotta (about 3 cups)
• 1 pound Grana Padano cheese, finely grated
• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (18 ounces) or Tipo 00 flour
• 12 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• Wild Boar Ragu

1. Coarsely grate the cooked potatoes through the large holes of a box grater. (You will have about 6 cups.)
2. Combine grated potato, ricotta, half the Grana Padano cheese, flour, sage, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Mix by hand until large, moist lumps form and no dry flour remains, about 7 minutes.
3. Turn mixture onto a clean work surface and gently knead until it becomes uniformly moist and doesn’t crack open while being pressed on, about 4 minutes. Form into a ball.
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
5. Divide dough into 12 pieces about 6 ounces each. Roll each piece into a long cigar shape about 21 inches long and 1 inch wide. Cut each cigar into 1- to 1-1/2-inch-long pieces. Set gnocchi on a lightly floured baking sheet in a single layer, place a clean towel over the first layer, lightly flour the towel, and lay second layer on top.
6. Before cooking gnocchi, gather the necessary equipment: a baking sheet drizzled with olive oil, a bamboo skimmer or slotted spoon, and a wooden spoon.
7. Drop gnocchi into the boiling water in batches, about 4 cups at a time. Stir gently with the wooden spoon, making sure the dumplings don’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Cook gnocchi until they begin floating to the top, about 4 minutes. Remove with the skimmer to the prepared baking sheet.
8. Repeat cooking process with remaining gnocchi, making sure to allow the water to return to a boil before adding the next batch.
9. Add cooked gnocchi to the hot Wild Boar Ragu. Gently stir gnocchi to coat them with the sauce, and top with the remaining Grana Padano cheese.

Note: To cook the potatoes, peel them and place in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are completely tender, about 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes and allow to cool.

Beverage pairing: Frescobaldi Nipozzano Riserva Chianti Rùfina, Italy. A solid Chianti like this one comes from Tuscany, where cinghiale (wild boar) is a signature dish. So the wine with its dark fruit flavors of plum and blackberry and a slight hint of game has the lift and the depth to be a lip-smacking accompaniment to this pasta.