An Italian-style main course: Gnocchi with asparagus and arugula; a lovely combinations that comes together quickly.
The veggies are playing the main role in this dish, and the gnocchi providing just enough carbs to make it in to a filling dish. It can easily be eaten as a salad, cold or slightly warm.
Ingredients of Gnocchi with Asparagus and Arugula
- Potato gnocchi
- Asparagus
- Arugula
- Butter
- Cream
- Herbs (rosemary) and spices (nutmeg, cayenne pepper)
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
- Salt and Pepper
Gnocchi recipes are in general as simple as pasta recipes and the only thing to be mindful of is the cooking time. You want the gnocchi to be soft and tender, but not soggy. There are 3 types of gnocchi, home-made, shelf stable and fresh (frozen or refrigerated). Obviously the home-made version is most labor-intensive, but you control the ingredients and the shelf stable contains most additions to keep it shelf-stable. That’s why I always prefer the fresh gnocchi or the home-made if I have time.
Let’s make this recipe
- This may not be a totally one-pot dish. The gnocchi are cooked separately, and then added to the rest.
- Cut the woody ends of the asparagus and cut them in 2 inch pieces.
- Bring water and salt in a pan to a boil.
- Heat a tablespoon of butter in a skillet and add the asparagus. Cook them on high heat for approx. 3 minutes, so they blacken a little.
- Alternatively, you can cook them a little longer on medium high heat. Don’t cook them all the way through, you want to keep them crunchy.
- You can also roast them in the oven. Sprinkling with oil, place them on a baking sheet and cook at 425 degrees F for approx. 15 minutes (depending on how cooked you like them to be).
- Once cooked, transfer the asparagus to a plate and set aside.
- Add another tablespoon of butter to the skillet, add the cream, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, and rosemary. Whisk in the grated Parmesan cheese and simmer for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper. Simmer until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Add the gnocchi to the boiling water, cook for about a minute (or longer, depending on the type you’re using) and the gnocchi will float to the surface. Drain them and add them to the sauce.
- Add asparagus and arugula to the sauce and taste. Add salt and pepper if needed.
Other Gnocchi recipes are: Stir-fried Gnocchi with Arugula and Pancetta and Poppy Seed Potato Gnocchi in Spinach Salad.
Gnocchi with Asparagus and Arugula
Ingredients
- 8-9 ounces potato gnocchi
- 1 bundle green asparagus
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon rosemary chopped
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated
- salt and pepper
- 3 cups arugula
Instructions
- Cut the woody ends of the asparagus and cut them in 2 inch pieces.
- Bring water and salt in a pan to a boil.
- Heat a tablespoon of butter in a skillet and add the asparagus. Cook them on high heat for approx. 3 minutes, so they blacken a little. (NOTE 1)
- Once cooked, transfer the asparagus to a place and set aside.
- Add another tablespoon of butter to the skillet, add the cream, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, and rosemary. Whisk in the grated Parmesan cheese and simmer for a few minutes. The sauce becomes a little thicker.
- Add the gnocchi to the boiling water, cook for about a minute and the gnocchi will come to the surface. Drain them and add them to the sauce.
- Add asparagus and arugula to the sauce and taste. Add salt and pepper if needed.
Notes
- If you don’t like blackened asparagus, cook them a little longer on medium high heat. Don’t cook them all the way through, you want to keep them crunchy. You can also cook them in the oven, by sprinkling them with oil, place them on a baking sheet and cook at 425 degrees F for approx. 15 minutes (depending on how cooked you like them to be).
No Comments