…and people that have been to the dentist to get work done TWICE this week. My face is swollen, I’m fussy and hungry and I can’t really chew. I have been dreaming of making from scratch gnocchi but we didn’t get potatoes at CSA pickup, and I feel horrible and woozy from the dentist. But I have CSA pesto, some basil that needs trimming, and some amazing plum tomatoes. And I live in an Italian neighborhood, so I can get good fresh ones on the corner. So the homemade kind will have to wait.
This is more of a CSA food-sharing post than a recipe, but a good first dish for the cook book I am working on..Chapter One, Recipes for Old People. They don’t have enough cookbooks!!
Serves 4
Nutrition – Not really. But delicious, filling, and easy to chew. : )
Ingredients
1 lb fresh gnocchi
1/4 cup basil pesto* (See my swiss chard/garlic scape pesto recipe if you need one, and substitute basil)
2 big plum tomatoes, diced
2 springs basil for garnish
a good amount of fresh ground pepper
grated cheese!
Boil your water and add gnocchi, take them out with a slotted spoon as they float. Rinse in cold water and add back to the pan and stir in pesto, heat to warm, and add a sprinkle of cheese an diced tomatoes tossed in pepper, plate with grated cheese and basil on top! Enjoy!
Consensus – SO GOOD!! This is the perfect after dentist food. The gnocchi practically melts in your mouth, its warm but not hot and flavorful without being too heavy. I am a happy girl! As for The Bee’s comments – “This is how this Irish and Italian fuck.”
*CSA Ingredients
ugly food tastes better. 
When you don’t have potatoes… make ricotta gnocchi! This looks soooo good. For some reason I never really make gnocchi with pesto – clearly an oversight that needs to be fixed asap.
Dont tell anyone that I said this….but i am not a huge ricotta fan. This year I have started liking it as a base for muffins and breads, but I am still not a fan of it on its own or as the main flavor in anything. Do you have a recipe for ricotta gnocchi on your blog though? I’d love to see how its done!
Actually I don’t yet – although I should – I make them often enough! I think the thing with ricotta is that most of the store brands aren’t very good. They’re a little gritty. Although they can definitely be good as a base for things (like adding into baked goods, or mixing with other stuff to create a filling). Usually when I’m doing something where you’re actually going to taste the ricotta, though, I make my own. It’s really really easy to make and tastes about a billion times better than anything you can buy in a store.
I have to admit it: I make crappy gnocchi. I always dream of making the light and fluffy ones, and seem to only be able to make pellets that could double as rubber bullets. Sigh. I think I need a demo too!
But I do actually love the idea of food for old people! Which might be really close to food for babies, but with different flavors!
I hope that you have fully recovered from the dentist (two trips, oh my!), and are back to chewing!
yeah I made ricotta once, it was crazy easy, and yeah i would never touch the weird store bought stuff, fortunately my butcher’s mom makes several cheeses and sells them so i can continue to be NYCspoiled haha.
HAHAHAHA – love it.
ps. you get pesto in your CSA??? I’m writing a letter to mine!
haha yeah i signed up for a “locavore shopping basket” share so I will get pesto, pickles, flours, grains, cereals and what not. Should be exciting!