We wanted vegetables for dinner last night.1 So, in a moment of "well, duh," I went with spinach gnocchi, fresh asparagus, and green garlic:
Lots of green. Plus a realization that there's no reason I can use just about anything moist, flavorful, and puree-able to make dumplings. Ricotta and pumpkin have been standards for quite some time. Why not parsnips and carrots? Kale? Sweet basil? Red peppers? Roasted garlic? Smoked apples?
For the spinach version, I simply blanched a large bunch in boiling, salted water for about a minute, then drained and rinsed with cold water. A few squeezes removed excess water, and then the food processor turned them into a more-or-less smooth paste. I added an egg, which helped along the blending, and offers a bit of structural assistance during cooking. Then just enough flour, lightly kneaded to make things workable, and they're ready to boil.
Or, in brief: Flavorful, moist food + egg + flour = colorful, flavorful gnocchi.
Plus, they freeze and cook up like a dream. What's not to like?
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1Pizzas the night before, and tacos the night before that. Delicious, but generally light on greenery.
