Gnocchi Scampi

This is a quick and delicious- lemony and garlicky- one-pan dish. I now realize that I prefer pan-seared gnocchi over boiled. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Great.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet, modified the method, and doubled the garlic. It was a perfect meal served with a big green salad. We didn’t have any leftovers!

Yield: Serves 3 to 4

• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
• 1 pound gnocchi (fresh, frozen or shelf-stable) (I used Trader Joe’s shelf-stable)
• 2 T unsalted butter
• 4 to 8 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
• 1/2 cup cup dry white wine, clam juice, or stock (I used chicken stock)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
• 1 pound large or extra-large shrimp, shelled (I used tail-on 21-25 count)
• 1 lemon
• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped (about 1/2 cup chopped)

1. In a large, preferably nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. (I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet.)
2. Add gnocchi to the pan, breaking up any that are stuck together. Cook for 8 to 12 minutes, tossing every 1 to 2 minutes, so they get golden and crispy all over. Transfer to a bowl or plate. (I reduced the heat to medium half-way through this step.)
3. In the same skillet over medium-high, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and all of the butter, letting it melt for a few seconds.
4. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5. Add wine/stock/clam juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and all of the red-pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, and let the liquid reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
6. Add shrimp and sauté until they just start to turn pink, 2 to 3 minutes, depending on their size.
7. Return gnocchi to the pan and add another 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using a Microplane or other fine grater, quickly grate the zest from the lemon into the pan.
8. Add chopped parsley, tossing well. If your pan looks dry, add a splash of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing to combine, then remove pan from the heat. (I didn’t have to add any additional liquid.)
9. Cut the zested lemon in half and squeeze in the juice from one half, gently tossing to combine. Taste and add more salt if you like. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges for serving.
10. Drizzle with more olive oil and more red-pepper flakes, if desired, and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Sheet-Pan Potato Gnocchi with Tomatoes, Arugula, & Basil

One more summer sheet-pan dinner! 🙂

I recently made a delicious skillet gnocchi dish developed by Ali Slagle for The New York Times which was very reminiscent of this dish. Apparently, Ali Slagle inspired Sarah Jampel to create this version for Bon Appétit.

I loved that this variation incorporated arugula- one of my favorites- and coated it with a dressing made with roasted garlic. It was a quick, easy, and tasty summer meal. Great.

Yield: Serves 4

• 1/2 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch thick wedges (I cut it into 8 wedges)
• 2 to 4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 4 cups (2 pints) cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 17.6-oz. package shelf-stable or refrigerated potato gnocchi (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 4 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling, if desired
• 1 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp Morton kosher salt, divided, plus more
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 to 3 cups baby arugula (I used 3 cups of my CSA arugula)
• 1 cup basil leaves, large leaves torn
• 2 oz Parmesan, shaved (I used Parmigiano-Reggiano)

1. Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 425°. (I set my oven to convection roast.)
2. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
3. Toss onion, garlic, tomatoes, gnocchi, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1 1/4 tsp Diamond Crystal or 3/4 tsp Morton kosher salt on a rimmed baking sheet to coat. Season generously with pepper and toss again to combine.
4. Roast, stirring once or twice, until gnocchi are golden and starting to crisp, most of the tomatoes have burst, and onion is golden, 25–30 minutes.
5. Remove garlic from baking sheet, peel, and place in a small bowl. Mash with 1/4 tsp salt (garlic should be quite soft). (I used 4 cloves of garlic.)
6. Whisk in lemon juice and remaining 1 tablespoon of oil into the mashed garlic. Season dressing with pepper and more salt, if needed.
7. Add arugula, basil, and Parmesan to baking sheet and drizzle dressing over; toss to combine.
8. Divide among plates and drizzle with a little more oil, if desired.

One-Pot Crispy Gnocchi with Burst Tomatoes & Fresh Mozzarella

This is a variation of one of my favorite quick dishes that also uses store-bought gnocchi as a shortcut. It is less spicy which pleased my husband. 😉 The cheesiness of this version definitely made it a crowd-pleaser.

The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Ali Slagle. It was the perfect dinner to make and serve after making cupcakes all afternoon with my daughter. Fast and fabulous.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 2 (12- to 18-ounce) packages shelf-stable or refrigerated potato gnocchi (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 1/4 cup (4 T) unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
• 8 to 10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more, to taste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups (2 pints) small tomatoes, such as cherry, grape or Sungold
• 4 to 6 T thinly sliced (chiffonade) or torn basil leaves, plus more for serving
• 8 to 9 ounces (8 slices) fresh mozzarella, cut or torn into 1/2-inch pieces

1. Heat the broiler with a rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
2. In a large (12-inch) skillet on the stovetop, heat enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan (about 1 tablespoon) over medium-high. (I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet.)
3. Add half the gnocchi to the pan, breaking up any that are stuck together. Cover with a lid or baking sheet and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on one side, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.
4. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi and olive oil.
5. Add the butter to the skillet and cook over medium-high, stirring often, until golden-brown and toasty, 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Add the garlic, red-pepper flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper, reducing the heat slightly if necessary to avoid scorching.
7. Add the tomatoes and 3 tablespoons water and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the tomatoes have softened and the liquid has slightly thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Smash the tomatoes as they burst to help them along.
8. Add the seared gnocchi and basil, stir to coat, then shake into an even layer.
9. Top with the mozzarella and drizzle lightly with olive oil.
10. Broil until the cheese is melted and browned in spots, 2 to 4 minutes. (I set my oven to 500 degrees Broil+Max.)
11. Top with more basil, red-pepper flakes, and black pepper as desired.

Shortcut Chicken & Dumplings

More weeknight comfort food! This dish uses rotisserie chicken meat and store-bought gnocchi as shortcuts to create a close match to traditional chicken and dumplings. It was quick to prepare and very tasty.

The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Alexa Weibel. I incorporated my CSA parsley, leeks, carrots, and collard greens. In addition, this soup could easily gobble up many other vegetables such as frozen peas, fennel, squash, parsnips, or mushrooms. We ate it with a green salad. Great.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 to 5 cups 1/2-inch ribbons of collard greens or kale, ribs removed (optional)
• 2 medium carrots or 8 ounces butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
• 1 medium leek, trimmed, white and pale green portion halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 1 cup) (can substitute 1 large shallot, if desired)
• 2 medium celery stalks, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick (about 2/3 cup)
• additional vegetables such as frozen peas, or diced parsnips, fennel, or mushrooms, optional
• 3 to 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (optional)(I omitted it)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 (16 to 18-ounce) package fresh or shelf-stable store-bought gnocchi (I used Trader Joe’s 17.6-ounce gnocchi)
• 1/2 store-bought rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded, meat torn into bite-size pieces (about 2 to 3 cups shredded meat)
• fresh tarragon, parsley or dill, for garnish

1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium. (I used a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven.)
2. Add the carrots, leek, celery, garlic, rosemary, thyme and poultry seasoning, if using. Incorporate any additional vegetables at this time as well; I added sliced collard greens. Season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with the flour, then cook, stirring, 2 minutes. (This cooks the flour to soften its raw flavor.)
4. Gradually stir in the stock and cream, and bring to a boil over medium-high to high heat.
5. Once the mixture boils, stir in the gnocchi, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until gnocchi and vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
6. Stir in the chicken in the last couple of minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Divide among bowls and top with fresh tarragon or parsley and more black pepper, if desired.

Grill-Roasted Corn & Tomato Melange

The genius of this recipe is that the corn is roasted on the grill prior to shucking it. The corn is completely clean and fabulously roasted after 20 minutes. I can’t believe I’d never done this before! This method can actually be done in an oven as well. Fabulous.

We ate this dish as a side salad but it could also be used served over pasta, gnocchi, or with steamed green beans. The melange is prepared ahead of time so that the flavors blend and develop before serving. Perfect for guests! This dish is from Mad Hungry Family: 120 Essential Recipes to Feed the Whole Crew by Lucinda Scala Quinn. It’s a must try before the late summer corn is gone.

Yield: Makes enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta, gnocchi, or steamed green beans

• 2 large tomatoes, chopped or 2 pounds grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed
• handful of basil leaves, torn or chiffonade
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• 5 ears fresh sweet corn, in the husk

1. Preheat a grill or oven to 400 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, basil, oil, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Meanwhile, place the unshucked ears of corn on the grill (or in the oven) and roast for about 20 minutes (you’ll smell the aroma of sweet corn when they’re done).
4. Let the corn cool in the husks. Remove the husks and cut the kernels off the cobs.
5. Incorporate corn into the tomato mixture. Let flavors meld for up to several hours prior to serving. Use as desired.

One Year Ago:

• Zucchini & Black Bean Tacos

Two Years Ago:

• Grilled Corn & Poblano Dip
• German-Style Bacon & Shallot Potato Salad

Three Years Ago:

• Rick Bayless’ Roasted Poblano Gazpacho
• Green Couscous with Arugula

Four Years Ago:

• Corn Chowder with Zucchini, Scallions, & Orzo Topping
• Spicy Israeli Couscous with Summer Squash

Ricotta Gnocchi with Asparagus, Peas, & Mushrooms

Now that I am no longer too intimidated to make gnocchi, I can’t stop! This gnocchi dough doesn’t need to be kneaded or rolled; it is cut from a pastry bag into bite-sized pieces directly into the cooking water. Great! This recipe and technique were adapted from Chef Nemo Bolin at Cook & Brown Public House in Providence, RI, via Bon Appetit. A wonderful spring dish. I increased the amount of vegetables and plan to add even more next time. Luxurious comfort food! 🙂

I’m bringing this dish to Fiesta Friday #13 at the Novice Gardener. Enjoy!!

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 4 cups ricotta (32 ounces)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan Reggiano
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more
• 10 oz (or more if desired) sliced fresh mushrooms such as creminis, morels, shiitakes, or a combination
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 cup shelled fresh peas (from about 1 lb. pods) or frozen peas, thawed
• ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped fresh chives, finely grated Parmesan, and finely grated lemon zest, for serving, optional

For the Gnocchi:

1. Line a baking dish with 3 layers of paper towels; spoon ricotta onto paper towels and let sit 30 minutes (if the ricotta is too wet, the dough won’t hold together).
2. Combine ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, and salt in a food processor; season with pepper and process until smooth.
3. Add flour and pulse just to combine (mixture should be smooth and fairly wet).
4. Transfer gnocchi mixture to a pastry bag fitted with ½” round tip or a large resealable plastic bag.

• DO AHEAD: Gnocchi mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover pastry tip and chill. (I did do this step a day in advance without any issues.)

For the Vegetables & Assembly:

1. Cook asparagus in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green and crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Using tongs or a mesh strainer, transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool; drain. Slice asparagus on the diagonal into bite-size pieces, leaving tips intact.
2. Reduce heat so water is simmering. If using a resealable plastic bag for gnocchi mixture, cut a ½” opening in bottom of bag. Working in 3 batches, pipe dough into pot, cutting off 1” lengths with a paring knife and letting dough drop into water. Cook until doubled in size, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to a lightly oiled baking sheet. (I used cooking spray.) Reserve ¼ cup cooking liquid.
3. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook mushrooms, tossing occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add shallots and cook, tossing occasionally, until shallots and mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes; set aside.
4. Add gnocchi, asparagus, peas, butter, and reserved cooking liquid to skillet with morels. Cook, tossing gently, until vegetables are warm and sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with chives, Parmesan, and lemon zest.

One Year Ago:

• Minestrone

If you like this you may also like:

• Spinach Gnocchi with Shaved Ricotta Salata
• Whole Wheat Potato-Spinach Gnocchi with Kale-Walnut Pesto

Whole Wheat Potato-Spinach Gnocchi with Kale-Walnut Pesto

In the past, I have found making gnocchi to be a frustrating experience. I blame my previous difficulty on waterlogged potatoes… In this recipe, the potatoes are baked prior to ricing- no water involved- it worked perfectly!  The gnocchi were tender, soft, and pillowy. This dish was inspired by alamain.net. The recipe for gnocchi was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Grace Parisi. I modified it by adding spinach, using whole wheat flour, and dressing it with pesto. The pesto recipe was adapted from alamain.net. I used Tuscan Kale instead of Rainbow Kale, Grana Padano instead of Parmesan, and walnuts instead of pine nuts. I doubled the gnocchi recipe to freeze a batch for later. Green, healthy, and delicious!

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

For the Gnocchi:

• 4 pounds russet potatoes (about 6) (enough to make 5 cups riced potatoes)
• 5 large egg yolks
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, or enough to achieve desired dough texture, plus more for dusting
• 6 oz baby spinach
• 1 T olive oil
• Kale-Walnut Pesto (recipe follows)
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork. Alternatively, bake the potatoes in the oven for about 1 hour, until tender.
2. Meanwhile, sauté the baby spinach in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool. Using the potato ricer, squeeze out excess moisture from the spinach. Finely chop the drained spinach in a food processor.
3. Halve the potatoes. Scoop the flesh into a ricer and rice the potatoes.  Transfer 5 slightly packed cups of riced potatoes to a bowl. Stir in the egg yolks, drained and chopped spinach, and 2 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Add the 1 to 1 1/2 cups of flour; stir until a stiff dough forms. Knead the dough gently until smooth but slightly sticky, adding more flour if necessary.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust with flour. On a floured surface, cut the dough into 16 pieces, rolling each into a 3/4-inch-thick rope. Cut the ropes into 3/4-inch pieces.
5. With your thumb, roll each piece against the tines of a fork to make ridges (I dusted the gnocchi, fork, and my thumb with flour before rolling); transfer to the baking sheet.
6. In a large pot of simmering salted water, cook the gnocchi in batches until they rise to the surface, then simmer for 2 minutes longer. Repeat as necessary. (Do not overcrowd!)
7. Toss the gnocchi with pesto to cover, sprinkle with the cheese, and serve.

MAKE AHEAD: The uncooked gnocchi pieces can be frozen on the prepared baking sheet, transferred to a resealable plastic bag, and frozen for up to 1 month. Boil without defrosting. (I reserved half of the batch.)

For the Kale-Walnut Pesto

• 1 cup fresh basil
• 1 cup Tuscan kale
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 4 T olive oil
• 1/4 cup grated Grana Padano
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until paste consistency is reached. Store in an airtight container.

One Year Ago:

• Gnocchi with Bacon and Tomatoes

If you like this you may also like:

• Spinach Gnocchi with Shaved Ricotta Salata