Chef notes
For springtime, this dish can't be beat. In Italia, when the first piselli used to come to market, we used to make gnocchi with prosciutto, peas and cream with Parmigiano — a classic combination in Emilia-Romagna. In this rendition, I add the fresh peas to the gnocchi dough as well. It's classic, delicious and vegetable-forward — perfect for the start of spring.
Technique tip: You have to adjust the amount of flour based on the feel of the dough. This recipe is a great guideline but may need more or less flour based on the moisture of the potatoes and the air outside. Older potatoes are better for gnocchi as they have less moisture.
Swap option: You can swap out frozen peas if you'd like, just blanch them and blend them just like the fresh peas. You can also use all-purpose flour instead of "00."
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
- 1 cup blanched spring peas, divided
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1¼ cups "00" flour, divided
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Parmigiano-Reggiano, to finish
- pea shoots, to garnish
Preparation
1.Preheat the oven to 375 F.
2.On a sheet tray with rack, add the potatoes. Bake the potatoes until cooked all the way through (about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size). Immediately cut the potatoes in half to let the steam and moisture escape, then add them to a ricer and rice onto a wooden cutting board.
3.Blend 2/3 of the peas with egg yolks and add to the potato, then sift over 3/4 cup of the flour and "cut" into potato and pea dough (using a bench scraper). Sift the remaining flour over and slowly and gently knead the dough together until combined. Cut into small portions, roll out and cut the gnocchi (you can either cook fresh or freeze at this point).
4.Bring a pot salted water to a boil.
5.In a large saucepan, over medium heat, add the butter with the remaining peas.
6.Drop the gnocchi in the water and cook until floating. Drain the gnocchi, reserving some of the cooking water.
7.Add the gnocchi and some of the cooking water to the pan with the butter and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Plate with lots and lots of Parmigiano, top with pea shoots to garnish.
