Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi with Pear Salad

Homemade potato gnocchi with a spinach parmesan sauce, accompanied by a pear salad with candied walnuts.

This dish was absolutely delicious and I really enjoyed the pairing. This was my first time ever making gnocchi and was surprised by how easy it was.

Potato Gnocchi Recipe by Michael Chiarello

Ingredients

Kosher salt

1 pound russet potatoes

3 to 4 large egg yolks

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon gray salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting board and dough

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Spread a layer of kosher salt on a baking sheet and place potatoes on top. Bake until a bit overcooked, about 45 minutes. Let sit until cool enough to handle, cut in half, and scoop out the interior. Reserve the potato skins, if desired, for another use.

3. Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer or grate them on the large holes of a box grater. You should have about 2 cups. Make a mound of potatoes on the counter with a well in the middle, add 3 of the egg yolks, the cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix in the potatoes and mix well with hands. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the flour over the potatoes and, using your knuckles, press it into the potatoes. Fold the mass over on itself and press down again. Sprinkle on more flour, little by little, folding and pressing the dough until it just holds together, (try not to knead it.) Work any dough clinging to your fingers back into the dough. If the mixture is too dry, add another egg yolk or a little water. The dough should give under slight pressure. It will feel firm but yielding. To test if the dough is the correct consistency, take a piece and roll it with your hands on a well-floured board into a rope 1/2-inch in diameter. If the dough holds together, it is ready. If not, add more flour, fold and press the dough several more times, and test again.

4. Keeping your work surface and the dough lightly floured, cut the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 1/2-inch in diameter. Cut into 1/2-inch-long pieces. Lightly flour the gnocchi as you cut them. You can cook these as is or form them into the classic gnocchi shape with a gnocchi board, ridged butter paddle, or the tines of a large fork turned upside down. Rest the bottom edge of the gnocchi board on the work surface, then tilt it at about a 45 degree angle. Take each piece and squish it lightly with your thumb against the board while simultaneously pushing it away from you. It will roll away and around your thumb, taking on a cupped shape -- with ridges on the outer curve from the board and a smooth surface on the inner curve where your thumb was. (Shaping them takes some time and dexterity. You might make a batch just for practice.) The indentation holds the sauce and helps gnocchi cook faster.

5. As you shape the gnocchi, dust them lightly with flour and scatter them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or waxed paper. Set gnocchi filled cookie sheet in front of a fan on low for 1/2 hour (turning gnocchi after 15 minutes). If you will not cook the gnocchi until the next day or later, freeze them. Alternatively, you can poach them now, drain and toss with a little olive oil, let cool, then refrigerate several hours or overnight. To reheat, dip in hot water for 10 to 15 seconds, then toss with browned butter until hot.

6. When ready to cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Drop in the gnocchi and cook for about 90 seconds from the time they rise to the surface. Remove the cooked gnocchi with a skimmer, shake off the excess water, and serve as desired.

Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi Sauce by Jessie Johnson

Ingredients

16 ounces potato gnocchi

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1–2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons flour

1 1/4 cups milk

3 heaping cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups shredded parmesan cheese (very cheesy)

Instructions

1. Cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Drain, set aside, and return the empty pot to the stove.

2. Melt butter over medium heat.

3. Add garlic to butter and sauté for about a minute until garlic is fragrant.

4. Add flour to butter and whisk to form a roux. Cook for 30 seconds or so to cook out any raw flour taste.

5. Slowly add milk to roux, whisking constantly to break up any lumps. Cook for 3-4 minutes until sauce has just begun to thicken.

6. Stir chopped spinach into sauce and cook 3-4 minutes more until spinach has wilted and sauce has thickened.

7. Add salt and pepper to taste.

8. Remove pot from heat.

9. Add parmesan cheese to sauce and stir to combine.

10. Return cooked gnocchi to sauce and stir to combine. Serve immediately.

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Pear Balsamic Salad

Ingredients

1 heaping cup raw walnuts

2 tsp olive or coconut oil

1 Tbsp granulated sugar

2 tsp maple syrup (or agave nectar)

1 pinch sea salt

1 pinch ground cinnamon Dressing:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 medium shallot, minced

1 pinch each sea salt and black pepper

Salad:

1 6-ounce bag mixed greens

1 ripe Pear (thinly sliced lengthwise)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and add raw walnuts to a bare or parchment-lined baking sheet.

2. Once oven is preheated, toast walnuts for 7 minutes. Then remove from oven and add remaining ingredients directly to the walnuts (oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, sea salt, cinnamon and cayenne - optional). Use a spatula to thoroughly toss/combine.Place back in oven and roast for another 4-6 minutes or until fragrant and golden brown. Then set aside to cool.

3. In the meantime, prepare dressing by adding all ingredients to a jar (or mixing bowl) and shaking vigorously (or whisking) to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more balsamic for acidity, salt or pepper for flavor balance, or olive oil for creaminess. Set aside.

4. To serve, add greens, half of the sliced pear and half of the roasted walnuts to a large mixing/serving bowl. Drizzle with a bit of the dressing and toss to combine.

5. Plate and garnish with remaining pears and walnuts, and serve with remaining dressing.