Gnocchi with Spinach and Arugula Pesto
Gnocchi are pillowy potato dumplings that hail from the north of Italy. Similarly, pesto is a popular dressing for this unique style of pasta that also hails from the country's northern region. Traditionally, we consider pesto incorporating basil, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese. However, this pesto plays into some of our favorite springtime greens and utilizes spinach and arugula for a unique twist while also opting to use walnuts as a more cost-effective alternative to pine nuts. This dish is perfect on its own as a vegetarian dinner, or it can be paired with a protein such as steak, chicken, pork or fish.
Equipment
- Stove
- Food Processor
Ingredients
Potato Gnocchi
- 3 russet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 egg large
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Spinach & Arugula Pesto
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 cup arugula
- 1/2 cup walnuts raw, unsalted
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 cup olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 TBSP lemon juice
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add your peeled and cubed russet potatoes. Cook for 30 minutes or until very tender. The potatoes should be very soft and easy to mash with a fork, potato masher, or potato ricer.
- Once the potatoes have cooked, add them to a large mixing bowl with the flour, salt, and egg. Combine and knead into a soft dough. Next, cut the dough into 4 pieces and begin rolling each piece into a log or snake roughly 3/4 inches in diameter. Cut gnocchi off of the logs that are roughly 1 inch long. Place onto a baking sheet that has been dusted with a little flour. Do this to all of the dough.
- While the gnocchi are resting, prepare the pesto. To a food processor, add the spinach, arugula, walnuts, garlic cloves, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Turn on the food processor or blender and as it is going, slowly stream in the olive oil until you have a bright green pesto sauce.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the gnocchi for 3-5 minutes or until they float to the top. In a separate bowl, toss the drained, cooked gnocchi with the pesto sauce, plate, and top with parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Calories: 436kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 8gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 797mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1g
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