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Make-Ahead Gnocchi with Corn and Peas

Gnocchi is a dish I make weekly — or nearly that often. It’s so simple that I’ve been known to serve it as a mid-week meal. The light, silken dough is a breeze to work with because it’s made with smooth ricotta rather than potatoes.

Gnocchi is an easy make-ahead meal that can pair with many sides!

This recipe gets even better because you can make the dough well ahead of time. Roll it into ropes and hold for later use, or roll the ropes and cut them into smaller pieces. Up to you at this point! Either way, you can freeze the dough in a plastic bag for up to a month. When you plan to cook the gnocchi, put the dough in the fridge in the morning and it will be thawed come evening. Another great make-ahead meal.
If you don’t have dough already frozen, make it up to three hours ahead of time and refrigerate until dinner time. I confess to cheating a little when I make these gnocchi because I don’t score the individual pieces with a fork like traditionalists do. Not doing so saves a little time and frustration and the gnocchi tastes as good as if it were scored.
I like to mix gnocchi with sautéed vegetables (I use corn or peas here). If you’re pressed for time, it’s fantastic with marinara sauce, a brown butter sauce or a sage sauce. And while I make this for weekday meals, it’s also wonderful at any dinner party.

Gnocchi is a dish I make weekly — or nearly that often. It’s so simple that I've been known to serve it as a mid-week meal. The light, silken dough is a breeze to work with because it’s made with smooth ricotta rather than potatoes.  Gnocchi is an easy make-ahead meal that can pair with many sides!

Gnocchi with Corn and Peas

Ingredients (Serves 4)
Gnocchi
15 ounces whole milk ricotta
2 large egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Vegetables
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (from 3 to 4 ears of corn)
1 cup fresh or frozen peas (blanched)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
To make the gnocchi: Mix together the ricotta, egg yolks and salt with wooden spoon until blended. Stir in the flour and Parmesan until the mixture forms a sticky dough. Turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead until smooth. Divide the dough into four pieces.
Sprinkle more flour onto the surface and roll each piece of dough into ½-inch thick ropes. Cut the ropes into pieces, each about ½-inch long. Set the pieces of dough on a clean, dry baking sheet. The above steps can be done up to 3 hours before cooking or up to a month ahead of time if you plan to freeze the dough.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salt generously into the pot and add
some of the gnocchi. I use a large slotted spoon and cook 2 to 3 spoonfuls at a time. The trick is not to crowd the pot and to stir it gently and occasionally while the gnocchi cook for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. The gnocchi are done when they rise to the top of the water. Remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer to a lightly oiled baking pan. Sprinkle them lightly with olive oil. Continue to cook the rest of the gnocchi. Make sure the water returns to the boil between batches.
To cook the corn and peas: Melt the butter over medium heat in a large sauté pan and when bubbly, add the corn and sauté for about 5 minutes or until tender and heated through. Stir in the peas, thyme and the gnocchi. Toss gently and heat through (you may need 2 sauté pans). Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve at once.

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