Whole Wheat Gnocchi with Summer Vegetables and Brown Butter

I have to quote my husband's reaction to this dish (I scribbled it down right after he said it, to ensure accuracy.): " You took 3 things I don't really want to eat and made them incredibly tasty!" He's always honest. His statement made me feel good, although I have to give some credit to the butter- it probably helped. I personally, love gnocchi, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes, and not surprisingly loved this as well! Gnocchi are notoriously dense and usually bathed in rich sauces. This version is light enough for summer. I still fit into my swimsuit the next day.

I wanted to try using whole wheat flour instead of white in the gnocchi and it turned out swell. I figured that because the flour to potato ratio is so small, it wouldn't alter the texture or taste of the final product too significantly, and it didn't. Just another way to sneak more whole grain into your life.

This is a very time sensitive recipe. Prepare the sauce once you have started cooking the gnocchi. If you start it ahead of time you risk sogging up your vegetables and ruining the beautiful freshness of the dish. Nobody likes wilted zucchini and mushy tomatoes. I must emphasize the importance of fresh fresh fresh ingredients- the parsley, the produce, and oh, the Parmesan! It will make or break this one.

By all means, you can make the gnocchi ahead of time. I have never frozen this recipe, but I suspect it will work wonderfully, as I have previously purchased frozen gnocchi and it is great (much better than the vacuum-packed preserved kind).

INGREDIENTS
Gnocchi:
2 lb. russet potatoes (about 4 medium), scrubbed
1- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour, plus extra for kneading and rolling
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten

NOTE: This makes twice as much gnocchi as is needed to accompany the following recipe. You could halve the gnocchi recipe and it would be just right, or make the full recipe and save half for later!

Brown Butter Sauce with Summer Vegetables:
2 Tbsp. butter (or slightly less)
2 medium shallots, minced
1 lb. zucchini, very thinly sliced lengthwise (use a vegetable peeler)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
freshly grated pepper, to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
fresh parsley, chopped, to garnish

DIRECTIONS
1. Boil the unpeeled potatoes in a large pot until tender (easily pierced with a knife), about 30 minutes. Drain. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle. peel off the skins and mash until light and fluffy (or run them through a ricer if you have one). Let cool to room temperature.

2. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes with the egg. Add the flour (starting with about 1 cup) and salt. Mix with your hands until the flour is moistened and the dough starts to clump together (adding more flour if necessary). Form the dough into a large ball. "Knead gently until the flour is fully incorporated and the dough is soft, smooth, and a little sticky, 30 seconds to 1 minute. (Don't overmix it, or the gnocchi will be tough; the dough should feel very delicate.)" Cover the formed dough with a clean kitchen towel.

3. Lightly flour your work surface. Tear off a lemon-sized piece of dough (covering the rest with the towel so it doesn't dry out). With the palms of your hands, roll the dough on the floured surface into a rope (about 3/4 inch in diameter). With a sharp knife cut the rope crosswise into square gnocchi. Arrange them in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet (sprinkled with flour) to prevent sticking. Repeat until you have used all the dough, reflouring the work surface as needed.

NOTE: At this point the gnocchi can be kept at room temperature for several hours or refrigerated if longer. Gnocchi can also be frozen and then directly boiled at a later time. To prevent clumping, I suggest sticking the entire pan of gnocchi into the freezer until they have partially hardened. At that point they can be combined in freezer-safe storage containers without risk of clumping.

4. To cook the gnocchi, bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add about 1/3 of the gnocchi (you can do this by forming a chute with the parchment paper and gently shaking them in). "Give one gentle stir, wait until the gnocchi all float to the surface of the water, and then cook them for 1 minute." Remove the from the boiling water with a slotted spoon. Set them aside in a bowl or add them directly to the prepared sauce if it is ready. Continue cooking the next 2 batches of gnocchi.

5. To prepare the brown butter sauce (while the gnocchi is boiling), melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until the butter is beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the shallots and zucchini ribbons and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Add the gnocchi, Parmesan, parsley and tomatoes, and toss to coat. Serve immediately. (You can add the tomatoes earlier if you like them soft and broken-down. I prefer mine less soggy, so I wait until the last second to add them in.)

Serves 4.

(Gnocchi Recipe from Fine Cooking*, Summer Vegetables with Brown Butter from Eating Well)

*For the full version of this recipe and extensive detail on the pasta making process, as well as recipes for accompanying sauces, visit the January 2008 issue of Fine Cooking.