Light and airy pillows of potato and pea goodness, these gnocchi are easier to make than they seem. They can be made, cut, and boiled up to 2 hours in advance. Cover the gnocchi, leave at room temperature, and sauté it just before serving. The Asiago frico and pea pesto can also be made in advance. The dish comes together quickly with all the components ready.

INGREDIENTS:

Gnocchi

• 2 pounds russet potatoes
• 1 cup cooked English peas (use fresh or frozen peas)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring the pan
• 1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
• 4 slices prosciutto, cut crosswise into thin slices
• 3 to 4 tablespoons brown butter (see Note on page 178)
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1/2 cup Pea Pesto (page 179)
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving
• Fresh pea tendrils for garnish, optional

Pea Pesto

• 2 cups English peas, fresh or frozen
• 1 garlic clove
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
• 1 tsp fine sea salt

DIRECTIONS:

To make the gnocchi, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.

Prick each potato several times with a fork and place them on a sheet pan. Bake the potatoes until they are tender enough to be easily pierced with a paring knife, about 1 hour. Remove the potatoes from the oven and set them aside until they are just cool enough to handle but still very hot, 5 to 10 minutes. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh from the skins. Discard the skins. Pass the flesh through a food mill or ricer into large bowl. Measure the potatoes and use just 2 cups. Save any remaining potato for another use. Again, using the food mill or ricer, set it over the bowl of potatoes, and mash and push through the cooked peas. To this mixture, stir in the egg, Parmesan, and salt. Mix gently to combine.

Fold in the flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, just until the flour disappears and the dough comes together. Using your hands, shape the dough into a large ball, adding more flour if it seems too moist; the dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky (it should stick more to itself than to your hands).

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Lightly flour a rimmed sheet pan. Cut off a baseball-size hunk of dough and roll it between your hands to form a ball. Then, using your palms, roll the ball back and forth on the floured surface into a skinny log, 3/4 inches in diameter and about 15 inches long. Cut the log crosswise into pieces about 1 inch long and place the pieces on the floured sheet pan. Cover the sheet pan with plastic wrap so the gnocchi do not dry out while you roll and cut the remaining dough the same way.

Use any tool with a fine mesh surface, such as a food mill, potato masher, or even two forks.

Follow the recipe steps in sequence for a smoother dough texture.

Use a bench knife or butter knife to cut the log crosswise.

Optional – roll across a gnocchi board to achieve signature-looking grooves.

Fill an 8- to 10-quart stockpot two-thirds full of water, add a pinch of salt and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the gnocchi and stir gently once or twice so they don’t stick together. After 1 or 2 minutes, the gnocchi will bob to the surface; wait for 1 minute longer and then, using a slotted spoon, transfer the gnocchi to a large platter.

To make the Asiago frico, prepare a plate lined with a paper towel. Heat a small nonstick pan over medium heat. Place 1 tablespoon of the Asiago cheese in the pan and gently spread it out flat like a cracker. Toast on 1 side until golden brown. Use a silicone spatula to lift it out and place on a paper towel. Repeat to make 3 more. Set aside. Wipe the pan clean.

Using the same pan, sauté the prosciutto until crisp, Set aside.

To sauté the gnocchi, in a large sauté pan, melt the browned butter over medium heat and swirl to coat the pan bottom. Add the gnocchi; they should fit in a single layer without crowding; otherwise do this in batches. Sauté, turning as needed, until the gnocchi are golden brown on all sides, about 4 minutes. Toss in the peas and spinach. Sauté, stirring constantly, until the spinach is wilted and the peas are heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

To serve, spread a generous spoonful of pesto on the bottom of each warmed pasta bowl. In each bowl, arrange 9 gnocchi on top. Sprinkle crisp pieces of prosciutto around and shower with Parmesan. Crumble each Asiago frico and sprinkle over the top along with the pea tendrils, if desired. Serve immediately.

Note: To make brown butter, melt a stick of butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Cook slowly until the butter becomes light brown and smells nutty. Swirl the pan gently, the butter will foam and then subside. Watch closely as you’ll see brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat when the butter is beautifully browned. Set aside until ready to use or refrigerate to have on hand for sautéing fish or spooning over vegetables as a sauce.

Makes 6 servings; Serving Size: 9 gnocchi

INGREDIENTS:

Pea Pesto

• 2 cups English peas, fresh or frozen
• 1 garlic clove
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
• 1 tsp fine sea salt

DIRECTIONS:

If using fresh peas, cook them in boiling salted water until tender but still bright green. Immediately transfer them to an ice bath to cool. Drain and blot completely dry. If using frozen peas, thaw them and blot them dry.

In the workbowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the peas, garlic, oil, cheese, sunflower seeds, and salt until coarsely smooth like a basil pesto would be in texture. Transfer to a covered container. Set aside until ready to use or refrigerate if making ahead. The peas pesto can be made up to 1 day in advance.

Makes about 1 1/4 cups; Serving Size: 2 tablespoons