TWICE-COOKED POTATO GNOCCHI & PESTO

I just had to make this again! It was so good the first time I made it, which was on my birthday about a week and a half ago. There I was, at the grocery store trying to come up with something else for the girls to nibble on. I walked by the pasta section and saw gnocchi, read the cooking instructions and thought to myself easy enough. I knew I had locally made spinach & walnut pesto in the fridge. Gnocchi + Pesto = Meal. "La dee damn da, we got us a gourmet over here." - Squidbillies

It wasn't until I was boiling the gnocchi that I thought to myself, what if I fried it and get it a little crispy. Gnocchi are little potato pillows. And there's nothing like a good fried potato! This dish is quick, easy and delicious!

Last night, we had the gnocchi with pan-seared chicken breasts and thighs seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic! I'm pretty sure you can have it with salmon, steak, shrimp whatever floats your boat.

TWICE-COOKED POTATO GNOCCHI & PESTO

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 (1-pound) package potato gnocchi (I used Antica Pasteria)

• Salt

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 4 tablespoons prepared spinach & walnut pesto (I used Kala's Kuisine, Austin local)

• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish

Directions

<boiling the gnocchi>

• Drop gnocchi into a large pot of boiling salted water.

• Cook according to package instructions.

• Turn off heat, when done.

• Remove gnocchi with a skimmer or slotted spoon; and place in a bowl.

<frying the gnocchi>

• Heat olive oil over medium-high in a large saute pan.

• Place gnocchi gently into pan and brown for 3 to 4 minutes.

<adding the pesto>

• Turn off heat.

• Add pesto to gnocchi, and toss till coated.

• Mix in parmesan cheese.

• Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.

Notes

• Rule of Thumb: 1 tablespoon salt for every 4 quarts of water.

• Gnocchi will float to the top of the surface when done.

#food #recipes #vegetablessides