Gnocchi With Asparagus & Olives in a Creamy Pesto Sauce

Submitted by SarasotaCook

"This honestly is so easy to make and such a nice dish. This is good enough to serve to company. Other than the asparagus and onion that you will need to cut, the rest is all pantry or store bought items. The creamy ricotta and bread crumbs added to the soft gnocchi makes for a perfect dish. Many grocery stores carry fresh and frozen varieties, as all of mine do. Whole Foods, Sams Club, Trader Joes, for those in the US carry them and of course most Italian Markets. They are a nice change from the traditional pasta shapes. I happen to love asparagus in this, but I have also used peas or green beans too. For the pesto, by all means make your own, but a good store brand makes this quick and easy."

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photo by Lori Mama

Ready In:: 20mins
Ingredients:: 13
Serves:: 4-6

ingredients

1 lb gnocchi (refrigerated or frozen)
¹⁄₂ lb asparagus, cut in 1/2-inch pieces on an angle (approximately 2 cups, green beans or peas make a great substitute)
1 medium onion, cut in half and thin sliced (use less onion if you want)
¹⁄₂ - ³⁄₄ cup black olives, cut in half (buy a can of pre cut olives and save yourself some time)
¹⁄₂ lemon, zest of, use the other half thin sliced as a garnish if you want
salt (go easy with the salt as the pesto and olives are both salty)
pepper
Sauce
1 cup pesto sauce (I used a basil pesto)
¹⁄₄ cup heavy cream
Topping
¹⁄₃ cup ricotta cheese
1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 ¹⁄₂ - 2 tablespoons olive oil
¹⁄₂ cup parmesan cheese

directions

Bread Crumb Topping -- Make this first and then just set it off to the side. In a small dry saute pan, add the breadcrumbs and bring to medium high heat. You just want to toast them and they don't take long so keep an eye on them. Make sure to keep stirring them. You could easily make your own bread crumbs for this, but I used store bought Italian seasoned bread crumbs which saved some time. Once the bread crumbs are toasted and golden brown, transfer to a small bowl and mix with the olive oil and parmesan cheese.
Vegetables -- In a large pot of salted boiling water (on a medium boil), add the asparagus and cook until tender. About 3-5 minutes. It depends on how thick your asparagus is. Remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water to set the color and to stop the cooking. It just needs a minute in the water, then transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to dry.
Gnocchi -- Cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Drain well and return to the pot (keep the heat on medium / medium low.
Finish -- Add the cream, pesto, olives, and onions to the gnocchi and cook another 2-3 minutes until everything is heated through. Check for seasoning and add any additional salt or pepper if needed. Then add in the asparagus, lemon zest and toss lightly.
Serve -- Transfer to a serving platter and top with the toasted bread crumbs and a scoop of the ricotta cheese. Garnish with the lemon slices from the half of lemon you did not zest. ENJOY!
Add a fresh cucumber and tomato salad for a nice simple side dish.

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Reviews

A great recipe, but how could you go wrong? I actually made a few changes for various reasons: I sauteed the onion with some garlic and then mixed my pesto sauce in with that along with the olives and half n half rather than cream (I thinned this a bit with veg broth so that I could then spoon out a bit to stir into my cooked gnocchi); I broiled the asparagus (I used a whole pound) and left as whole stalks; along with that I broiled strips of cold-cut ham to add a bit of color and protein (and salt, so almost no need for salt elsewhere...and the broiling really makes a cold cut far less ordinary); for a topping I just used some shredded parmesan to keep it simple. Tasty and easy!

Meredith C-ville
Tasty.....was my husband's response. We both love pesto, so this was a winner. I didn't add the ricotta. Personal preference. :)

Lori Mama

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

SarasotaCook

Sarasota, Florida

Growing up in Michigan, I spent my summers at my cottage in the Northern part up by Traverscity. On a lake, big garden which had all the vegetables you could imagine. My mom taught school, so summers were our vacation time. Gramps and I fished all the time so fresh fish was always on the menu, perch, blue gill, walleye and small and large mouth bass. At age 5 I learned how to clean my own fish and by 10 I was making dinner, canning vegetables and fruits, making pies and fresh breads. Apples fresh picked every fall, strawberries in June and July, Cherries at the Cherry Festival in Traverscity. So fresh foods always were a big part. Mom worked as a teacher during the year so dinner was more traditional with pot roasts, meatloaf, etc, but it seemed we always had fresh fruits and vegetables as part of the meal. Mom also didn't use as many spices as I do, but times were different back then. So ... My motto is ... There is NO Right and NO Wrong with cooking. So many people thing they have to follow a recipe. But NO ... a recipe is a method and directions to help and teach someone. Cooking is about personal tastes and flavors. I love garlic ... and another person may not. I like heat ... but you may not. Recipes are building blocks, NOT text ground in stone. Use them to make and build on. Even my recipes I don't follow most times --They are a base. That is what cooking is to me. A base of layer upon layer of flavors. I still dislike using canned soups or packaged gravies/seasoning ... but I admit, I do use them. I have a few recipes that use them. But I try to strive to teach people to use fresh ingredients, they are first ... so much healthier for you ... and second, in the end less expensive. But we all have our moments including me. So, lets see ... In the past, I have worked as a hostess, bartender, waitress, then a short order cook, salad girl in the kitchen, sort of assistant chef, head chef, co owner of a restaurant ... now a consultant to a catering company/restaurant, I cater myself and I'm a personal chef for a elderly lady. I work doing data entry during the day, and now and then try to have fun which is not very often due to my job(s). I have a 21 year old who at times is going on 12, aren't they all. Was married and now single and just trying to enjoy life one day at a time. I'm writing a cookbook ... name is still in the works but it is dedicated to those people who never learned, to cook. Single Moms, Dads, or Just Busy Parents. Those individuals that think you can't make a great dinner for not a lot of money. You can entertain on a budget and I want people to know that gourmet tasting food doesn't have to be from a can of soup or a box, and healthy food doesn't come from a drive through. There are some really good meals that people can make which are healthy and will save money but taste amazing. So I guess that is my current goal. We all take short cuts and I have no problem with that - I do it too. I volunteer and make food for the homeless every couple of months, donating my time and money. I usually make soup for them and many times get donations from a local grocery stores, Sams Club, Walmart etc, with broth, and vegetables. It makes my cost very little and well worth every minute I spend. Like anyone, life is always trying to figure things out and do the best we can and have fun some how along the way.

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