{Homemade}: Gnocchi with Balsamic Brown Butter

I was away from my home kitchen for most of last week, so once the weekend rolled around, I was more than ready to get back to it and take in a good home-cooked meal.  I'd been eyeing a recipe for easy, homemade gnocchi -- that diverged from the traditional potato gnocchi -- and decided to give it a try.  And now that the results are in, I'm glad I did.

I enjoy making homemade pasta, however I had never gotten around to making gnocchi.  So with a full week behind me, and an equally full week ahead of me, I loved the possibility of bringing together a dish that screams "rock star" without any of the fuss you'd expect.

The ingredient list for the pasta recipe read like a dream: ricotta, egg, flour, salt.  That simple.  Now if the results turned out to be solid (aka edible -:) ), I was certain that this would become a go-to staple in my repertoire.   

A quick turn later after making the dough, I begin to pipe it out into hot, boiling, salted water and within minutes, homemade gnocchi was mine for the feasting.  In keeping with my fuss-free, yet delicious, theme, I decided to pair the creamy, pillowy drops with a favorite balsamic brown butter.  I rounded out the dish with toasted walnuts and freshly grated parmigiano for a bit of added crunch and flavor.  

Pleased with the results, I couldn't wait to file this one away for future noshing.  But...not without sharing it with you first.

Happy Eating!

Gnocchi 
by Chef Nemo Bolin of Cook and Brown Public House

Ingredients:
2 cups ricotta
1 large egg
Pinch salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 cup flour
Method:
Combine ricotta, egg, and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Process until creamy and smooth. Add flour and pulse just enough to incorporate. Transfer dough to a pastry bag or resealable plastic bag. Cut off the tip of the bag leaving a 1/2-inch-wide hole. Working in batches, pipe gnocchi directly into boiling salted water, using a paring knife to cut off segments of dough (see image). 

Cook until nearly doubled in size, 2-3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use right away or freeze on baking sheet until hard and transfer to a resealable plastic freezer bag. (No need to thaw them before using; they’ll reheat in whatever sauce you pair them with.)
 
Balsamic Brown Butter
Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method:

In a medium saucepan cook the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the foam subsides, and the butter begins to turn a golden brown, about 3 minutes, turn off the heat. Let cool for about 1 minute. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Combine the gnocchi and balsamic brown butter.  Sprinkle with toasted walnuts, top with freshly grated parmigiano, and enjoy!

 
  

Toast With This!: Ginger-Tea Lemonade with Basil

There are many ways to welcome the weekend, but a favorite of mine is by enjoying a refreshing mocktail.  I recently came across a delicious spin on the quintessential favorite: lemonade.  This recipe for Ginger-Tea Lemonade with Basil by Giada De Laurentiis is the perfect drink for all things refreshing and delicious--melding the flavors of black tea, sweet basil and warm ginger--and taking your lemonade lovin' to a whole new level!  

So here's to Happy Sipping!

Ginger-Tea Lemonade with Basil

Ingredients:

2 cups water
3 black tea bags, such as English Breakfast Tea
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice, from about 3 lemons
1 cup sparkling water or club soda, chilled
2 cups ice
Lemon slices for garnish, optional
1 ⅓ cups Ginger Simple Syrup (see ingredients list below)

Ingredients for Ginger Simple Syrup:

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 (3-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 

Method:

In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and add the tea bags. Stir and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Remove the tea bags and discard.

For the ginger simple syrup, in a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water and ginger over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool, about 20 minutes. Strain before using.  

Lay the basil leaves on a cutting board and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin, roll over the basil to bruise the leaves. Remove the plastic wrap and add the bruised basil to the tea. Pour in the ginger simple syrup and lemon juice. Refrigerate the mixture for 1 hour.

Just before serving, add the sparkling water to the tea mixture. Place the ice in a large pitcher and pour the lemonade over the ice. Garnish with lemon slices, serve and enjoy.

Recipe Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

*For step-by-step photos, click here.