Gnocchi

Another great way to use potatoes... and potatoes are always budget friendly. We paired this up with a simple salad of mesculin greens from my garden and a fresh pesto sauce that left my little basil plants a wee bit bald. Oh, well... so worth it!

If you haven't given gnocchi a try, it is so easy! Just boil or steam some potatoes... rice 'em... make a dough with egg, flour and cream... roll and boil the little beauties!

Gnocchi
1 lb. potatoes (steamed or boiled till soft)
1/3 c. grated cheddar (or cheese of choice... but also optional)
1 large egg (beaten)
1 TBSP. cream
1 c. flour (plus extra for rolling)
2 tsp. salt

Steam or boil potatoes for about 15 minutes. Either mash or rice the potatoes and allow them to cool slightly before making dough. Gently mix in cheese, egg, cream & salt. Add flour 1/3 c. at a time. Do not overmix but make sure the dough is not too sticky.

Roll out "snakes" of dough. Cut similar sized portions off and then either roll over the tines of a fork or on a gnocchi board. (Available at King Arthur Flour.com) As a hint, flour the board before rolling. If you will not boil the gnocchi right away, cover with a towel or refrigerate till needed.

Boil in salted water. Gnocchi will float to the surface when it is done. Skim off with a spider or slotted spoon. Toss quickly with sauce so they don't stick together or dry out. Enjoy!