My Bit of Earth

Barefoot Bloggers: Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

This month's first Barefoot Bloggers recipe was the Contessa's Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes chosen by Cat of Delta Whiskey. 

I didn't think I really liked sun-dried tomatoes.  I've always had the dried ones--rather than the ones packed in oil--and even when they're reconstituted they have a leathery texture that I don't care for.  But, while I was chopping up the packed-in-oil tomatoes for this recipe, I sampled a little bite of one...and then another, and another until I'd had half the jar....They're so tangy, just the right amount of crunchy, super tomatoey--in short, addictive!

The rest of the pasta was good too.  I cut the mozzarella cheese in half--that's a lot of moz there, Ina--but otherwise made the recipe as written.  Salty capers and olives, creamy cheese, nutty whole wheat pasta, basil, tomatoes (both regular and the sun-dried lovelies)--this one's so a keeper!  It was perfect for dinner in our "summer dining room", a.k.a. our screened-in back porch, or the only dining room that currently has chairs!  For the recipe, see the link above.

Barefoot Bloggers: Gazpacho

First, I must admit, I debated about how much of this story to share because it makes me look kind of like a ninny.  But...well, we're all ninnies sometimes so I'm going to embrace it here, in hopes that maybe it will help someone else or make you all laugh your asses off at me or whatever....

For this Barefoot Bloggers recipe, it was my turn to choose.  When I figured out that I was going to be up in June, I decided it had to be strawberries or tomatoes.  In the end I decided on the Contessa's Gazpacho, just because it was something I hadn't ever tried before.  I figured, if I was going to jump, why not make all 116 Barefoot Bloggers jump with me, right?

Sunday night--our first official dinner in the new house--I was happily dicing away tomatoes, onions, and peppers, when I read a little further down into the recipe, "Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess!"  

Shit.  

See, I sold the blender at the garage sale, knowing that we were going to just buy a food processor after the move.  But, as said food processor had not been purchased yet, I was caught with my pants down between appliances.  It quickly became clear that just me and my knife weren't even going to get close to the desired consistency for the Gazpacho, and this was my recipe, that I got to pick, so I really wanted to get it right.

After turning up zilch on borrowing a food processor from a few different friends, I decided I was just going to have to go buy one that night.  But it was after seven, so my options were quickly becoming limited as stores closed.  I had my heart set on a black Kitchen-Aid, so I was on a pretty specific mission.  Best Buy? No luck.  Sears and Penny's? Closed.  Wal-Mart? Had the white one, but not black.  Target? No Kitchen-Aid, but one that looked kind of close, so in my tired, crankiness, I just bought it.

And regretted it the whole way home. 

Now, keep in mind, I had been at home painting and dickering with home improvement projects for an entire week.  I still had the blue paint in my hair, and I was all kinds of achy and hot.  And I had to go to work the next day, so I was already stressing about my in-box there.  And, and, and....  Upshot--when I walked into the door, I burst into gulping, sobbing, messy tears.  

Poor Sweet Husband was very confused.  When he finally sussed out that the root of the problem was that I had been forced to buy a substandard food processor in order to properly complete my Gazpacho, and now was going to have to use it (thus making it impossible to return) or we wouldn't have dinner....he wisely refrained from chuckling, and did what most wise husbands would do--wrapped the chopped veggies up for later and took me out for dinner.

Thus revived, I came home and ordered a food processor from Sears, which was able to deliver it before my chopped veggies went bad.  (I returned the knock-off to Target the next day.)  A few quick pulses in my pretty new Kitchen-Aid, and voila--Gazpacho!

We're just at the beginning of real tomato season, so I was able to get a few nice, big homegrowns that were super good.  And, as the soup develops more flavor as it sits, letting everything rest for a few days in the fridge was actually probably about the best thing that could have happened to it.  The resulting soup was spicy and cool and yummy.  Perfect with a few little cocktail shrimpies and some white wine.  Maybe not quite worth all the trouble I went through to make it, but definitely worth it for the non-ninnies among you!

For the recipe, see the link above.

Barefoot Bloggers: Curried Couscous

This month's first Barefoot Blogger's recipe is the Barefoot Contessa's Curried Couscous, chosen by Ellyn of Recipe Collector and Tester.

As a brief digression, when my little brother and I were both at home still, Nice Mom used to make up these huge bowls of pasta salad in the summertime.  It was a really basic recipe--curly pasta, tomatoes, olives, and cheese, all thoroughly soaked in Italian vinaigrette--but lordy was it good on a hot day.  We used to get in trouble, because, rather than taking time to dish out an individual portion, we would just grab a fork and eat it straight from the big batch.  "Get a bowl!" Nice Mom would exasperatedly yell at us.

While this curried couscous is a completely different animal from Nice Mom's pasta salad, it seems to create the same impulse.  (And since we're down to plastic utensils and plates, eating straight from the fridge is also more environmentally friendly, right?  Right!)  I used cilantro instead of parsley (which I pretty much always do--I don't like parsley at all), and peas instead of carrots.  And the lovely thing about couscous is that you don't even have to watch it cook--just pour over boiling water and let it hang out until it's done.  Easy-peasy and yummy!  See the link above for the recipe.

Gentle Reminder: It's Strawberry Season (With Knitting)

As Martha would say, consider this your gentle reminder--it's time to be eating strawberries.

We went out with some friends, via scooters, to Lawson Brother's Farm last weekend to "pick-our-own".  Sweet Husband and I picked just a little over seven pounds, but I still don't think it made enough jam.  But, really, is there ever enough strawberry jam?  

Next year I think we might shoot for fourteen pounds though, or maybe somewhere between fourteen and ten or eleven.  Our seven pounds only made about twenty jars of jam, which is just not enough, especially when you want to share.  (The recipe I used is here, and it's also on the back of the pectin packet.)

In other news, I finished a knitting project.  This is kind of more amazing than it sounds, because lately I seem to be having trouble keeping my mind steadily on...well, much of anything!  However, I have no photographic proof of said project because I taped it all up in a box for shipping to its recipient before I realized I hadn't taken a picture.  As I said, scatterbrains!

Anyway, it was three cute little  baby "Bibs O'Love" from Mason-Dixon Knitting.  Super easy.  All garter stitch, so I didn't even have to keep track of rows.  Very sweet--in cream and green with little frog buttons--all rolled up and tucked into a little box.  Will make again!

Daring Cooks: Ricotta Gnocchi

Today is the first official "recipe reveal" from The Daring Cooks.  

Daring Cooks is a spin-off of the Daring Bakers group, only--big shocker--the group's focus will be on cooking instead of baking.  While I have enjoyed over a year of learning and creating (sometimes fabulous, sometimes failed) baked goods, I'm so much more of a cook at heart, so I've resigned from Daring Bakers and will only be doing the Cooks group from here on out.  (If you're interested in either group, more information can be found at The Daring Kitchen.)

This month's recipe was Ricotta Gnocchi from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook.

I used fresh ricotta as the recipe suggested, and let it drain in a hanging dishtowel in the fridge for about 24 hours.  (Kind of similar what I did to make cheese.)  Despite the fact that I still consider myself mentally challenged when it comes to making gnocchi, these little guys went together like a dream.  No blips, no adjustments--just perfect.

While I cannot say I liked them better than regular potato gnocchi, the ricotta gnocchi (which have no potatoes and only a little bit of flour) were certainly tasty.  The texture is a bit surprising in the first few bites--a little spongy like ricotta cheese--but once I got over the unexpectedness, they were nice.

For my sauce, I sauted onions in a little browned butter.  Then I sprinkled parmesean cheese and a little lemon zest over the top of each bowl.  

Read on for the recipe.

Barefoot Bloggers: Tuna Salad

This month's first Barefoot Bloggers recipe was Ina's Tuna Salad, chosen by Kate of Warm Olives and Cool Cocktails.

I think that many, many people would love this recipe.  

But the thing is, I am a sushi whore, and if I'm going to buy a big old chunk of sushi grade ahi, letting it touch a hot cooking surface seems...wrong.  And dousing it in lime and hot sauce and other various condiments makes me feel like I'm just going to hell.

I was brave and tried the recipe as written (well, I did a fourth of the recipe as written, 2 pounds of tuna would have broken the bank), but honestly, like a certain fictional character, I like my fishies "raw and wriggling"...with just a touch of soy sauce!

Really, though, I bet if you like cooked fish you would like this recipe.  See the link above for full details.  :)

Guest Blogging Morels at The Kitchn

I have a fun little guest blog on morels up today over at The Kitchn.  Faithful readers will recognize the recipe from last week, but for this new post I "interviewed" a few friends who regularly forage for morels so there's a lot more about how to actually find them.  A brief excerpt:

"[T]he first rule of morel foraging is that you don’t talk about morel foraging. Or, at least, you don’t talk about where to look.  I learned this the hard way one day last spring, when I saw Nice Neighbor hauling in a big load of morels and innocently asked him, 'So, where’s a good place to go look for those around here, anyway?' He looked at me like I’d asked for the password to his bank account, laughed a little, and said, 'Yeah right, like I’d tell you that!'"

To read the rest see, How to Hunt for Morel Mushrooms (Plus a Recipe).

Morel McNuggets

I was beginning to despair of getting any morel mushrooms this year when, the other day just before lunch, I got an email from Pendleton's, subject line: "We have morels!"  I anxiously counted down the hours until the end of the day, and was able to just barely make it before they closed.....

Aren't they awesome?  Aren't they weird?  Aren't they beautiful?!!!

As I drove home with my sack o'morels on the passenger seat, I just had to pull one out and touch it.  Their little spongy tops are the perfect study of textures--bumpy but smooth, crumbly but spongy.  I put a mushroom up to my nose and deeply inhaled. (Yes, I huff mushrooms.)  Initially I couldn't place it, but I finally decided they smell kind of like dirt.  But the good kind of dirt--like, all-freshly-turned-over and just-mixed-with-compost and ready-for-growing-things dirt. 

What happened to these little gods of mushrooms?  Well, this year I decided to go the traditional route and bread and fry them.  I soaked the mushrooms in salty water for a few hours to kill any critters that might be hanging out inside.  Then I drained them, rinsed them, and cut them in half.  Next, they got a dip in lightly beaten egg.  Then, a dip in panko bread crumbs mixed with a little salt, pepper, fresh thyme, and just a little bit of dried sage.  Last, they went into a frying pan with a butter and oil combo (don't be stingy here).  The result?

They look like Chicken McNuggets!  As Sweet Husband and I dug in, he joked that we might even be able to get Cutie Niece--currently in the phase of her life where she lives for McNuggets--to try one...if we didn't tell her it was fungus.

We had our "Morel McNuggets" with some tomato sauce for dipping.  A half a pound of shroomies made plenty for dinner for two.  And holy-wow were they good!  I've decided that morels are the exotic cousin of the mushroom family.  They resemble their less exciting relatives, but they're just so much more intense and interesting.  While they're a little expensive to eat all the time, their limited season makes them a great once or twice a year treat.  Yummy!

Asparagus Week: Pizza

For the ASPARAGUS WEEK finale, this one's all me!  A pizza topped with asparagus, mushrooms, shallot, garlic and cheese--yum!

The dough recipe I use is here.  It will make two pizzas, so either cut the recipe in half, or make the whole thing and freeze half for later.

Once the dough has risen and been punched down, preheat your oven to about 425 degrees.  While it's preheating, throw in a few peeled cloves of garlic wrapped in aluminum foil.

Chop up one shallot and three or four mushrooms and saute them in a pan with a little olive oil until the onions are nice and caramelized.  While that's cooking, get your asparagus ready (about 15 spears) by breaking off the ends.  Also, roll out your pizza dough on a floured surface, then transfer to a baking sheet.

When everything else is ready to go, brush the rolled out dough with olive oil.  Take the garlic out of the oven, smash it up, and smear it on the dough as well.  Arrange the asparagus spears so they're nice and pretty, then pour on the mushrooms and onions.  Last but not least, tear or chop up your cheese (I used Tallegio) and scatter it on top.  

Bake the whole thing for about fifteen minutes, or until the edges of the dough start to get nice and brown. Then--eat it!

Sadly, with that I must declare an end of ASPARAGUS WEEK.  Honestly, at the beginning of the week I though I might be tired of the little green guys by today, but with all the variations it hasn't gotten monotonous at all.  Let's recap, shall we?

First there was Asparagus with French Vinaigrette, then Asparagus Risotto, then the tasty little Asparagus Soldiers, then Asparagus Soup with Poached Egg, and today the pizza.  Hope this has inspired you to go buy (or even pick) some asparagus of your own!

Barefoot Bloggers on a Budget: Cobb Salad Rolls

This month the Barefoot Bloggers decided to do a "Barefoot on a Budget" challenge.  The idea was to take one of Ina's more expensive recipes--in this case her Lobster Cobb Salad Rolls--and tweak the recipe to make it more affordable.

To get lobster in Kansas you have to have it overnighted-in.  (Nice In-laws do it for a party about once a year or so--it's a lot of fun, but definitely for special occasions only as it's quite pricey.)  In lieu of that I decided just to sub packaged crab, and use some really nice, crusty rolls from our local bakery.  (Not terribly creative, I know, but fairly inexpensive at least.  The crab was about $6 for 6 ounces, and the bread was like, a dollar for a whole baguette.)

In retrospect, I wish I had just left the crab out.  I'm such a little spoiled brat about my seafood, and the packaged stuff just never tastes as good to me as the buggers that were still crawling around until fifteen minutes before appearing on my plate.  And really--with the creamy avocado and tomatoes and blue cheese and yummy dressing--this is one you could easily make vegetarian and never miss the meat.

Asparagus Week: Asparagus Soup With Poached Egg and Toast

We're in the homestretch now!  For today's ASPARAGUS WEEK recipe, Asparagus Soup With a Poached Egg and Toast.

I halved the recipe, which made about six cups of soup.  I also threw in a few cloves of garlic, because...well, does garlic really need an excuse?

This soup actually tasted a lot like our favorite roasted onion soup with added asparagus, and it was surprisingly creamy considering that there is no cream in it.  The egg gave it a nice body too--so much better than a plain pureed soup, which always makes me feel like I'm missing something.

Only little hiccup?  When we make this recipe again I will have Sweet Husband (the resident egg poacher) cook the eggs for less time to account for the fact that the eggs continued to cook once they were dropped into the hot soup.

Asparagus Week: Asparagus Soldiers

I think this is the ASPARAGUS WEEK recipe I was most looking forward to, and it did not disappoint!  Another one from Jamie at Home--how can you not love a dish that has a cool name like "Asparagus Soldiers"?

The basic idea?  Wrap about twenty-ish asparagus stems in pancetta or prosciutto (or don't, even), lay them out on a baking dish, splash them with a touch of olive oil, and roast them in a 425 degree oven for about ten minutes.  Meanwhile, soft boil half a dozen eggs.  (Get the water boiling, gently lower the eggs in, cook for five minutes.)  Gently tap, tap, tap the tops off your eggs, salt them a little, and use the gooey, golden, goodness within as a dipping sauce for your roasted spears.  

A little hash-browns on the side and/or a few baby radishes fresh from the garden, and you've got a yummy dinner for two!

Asparagus Week: Risotto

When I originally thought about doing ASPARAGUS WEEK (I like it in all caps like that) my plan was to cook all the recipes in Jamie Oliver's book Jamie at Home.  Ultimately decided against it--one of the recipes includes some difficult-to-get-fresh-in-Kansas seafood, for starters--but most of the recipes I'm planning to make this week do come from Jamie.  What can I say?  The boy knows his asparagus!

Last night, as it was a bit dreary and chilly out, we had Asparagus, Mint, and Lemon Risotto from the book Cook With Jamie.  (Probably the most expensive cookbook I've ever purchased, but worth every penny!)  My modifications?  

First, I put the asparagus in much later than Jamie would have you do--I added it with my last cup of stock.  My asparagus is also a bit chunkier than Jamie's.  Obviously, the later addition and bigger pieces means the asparagus gets less cooked, but I like asparagus (and, in fact, most veggies) just half a degree above raw, so that's how they get cooked 'round here!

Also, I always use less butter than Jamie suggests.  His measurements on the website are in metric, but the book suggests 7 tablespoons of butter if you follow the recipe exactly.  I generally use anywhere between 1 tablespoon (when I'm feeling chubby that day) to 3 tablespoons (which does make it lovely and creamy)--much more than that is just unnecessary.

EDITED TO ADD: Correction!  I also diverged from Jamie in that I only used two pans instead of three.  (Neither Kathy [risotto goddess], nor I can figure out why you would dirty a third pan.)  I just heated the stock in one pan, and did the risotto in another.  Then I gradually added the stock to the risotto, and added the asparagus to the risotto pan with the last addition of stock.

Asparagus Week: Asparagus With French Vinaigrette

Modified from Jamie O.  The short version:  Steam the asparagus (3-4 minutes).  Shake together in a jar: 1 T mustard, 3 T evoo, 1 T white wine vinegar, 1 T white wine, a little salt, a little pepper, some chervil.  Pour vinaigrette over asparagus. 

Jamie's vinaigrette was a titch vinegary for me, so I dumped my jar into a pan and reduced it all a little bit.  The yumminess remained without the overpowering acidity.  Delish!

A Wonderful Weekend AND ASPARAGUS WEEK!

Do you ever sit down on a Sunday evening and think, "Holygosh, this has been the greatest weekend ever....?"

Friday night started with a walk downtown for friends and sushi and Sylas and Maddy's homemade ice cream.  'Nuff said.

Then yesterday, I went to visit Nice Grandma and Nice Other Relatives.  While I don't want to discount my visit with them--which was quite nice--Wamego (the teensy little town Nice Grandma resides in) is becoming a joy to visit in-and-of-itself.  Not only is there a yarn store and a pottery gallery, but there are three wineries.  And one of them is a winery/photo gallery/law office!  (Truly, I walked in a little dazed--I did not know such a magnificent combination was even conceivable!)

While I was visiting and tasting, Sweet Husband was A) working on jewelry for his upcoming sale (more on that later!) and B) going on the inaugural "Douglas County Scooter Demons" scooter ride. 

By the time we both got home, we had our very first severe weather of the season.  

A common phrase in Kansas this time of year is, "Well, I hate the destruction tornadoes cause, but....did you see the storm last night?"  (That last part in an awestruck and Christmas-morning-excited voice with a blissful smile to accompany it.) 

Truth of the matter is, if you don't get just a little turned on by the electricity in the air...the smell of the wind...the drop in air pressure...that moment the sky turns green...you won't make it in Kansas very long.  And last night was incredible!  Sweet Husband and I had the windows open and the news on, and  oh it was awesome!

Then, last but not least, this morning, we got up early and went to Pendleton's for some asparagus pickin'.

About a month ago, I got this crazy idea that I should have an "Asparagus Week" when my little, spindly, green friends came into season.  Sweet Husband--being the lovely, indulgent man that he is--concurred.  So, without further delay, I'm pleased to announce that this will be ASPARAGUS WEEK at My Bit of Earth.  

That's right folks, we picked FOUR AND A HALF POUNDS of beautiful asparagus this morning, and every night this week I will be cooking it up in some extraordinary fashion, then posting the recipe the next morning.  Our pee will be stinky, but we shall be very well fed!

Barefoot Bloggers: Crouque Monsieur

This month's second Barefoot Bloggers recipe was the Contessa's Croque Monsier chosen by Kathy of All Food Considered.

I wanted to like this one...I really, really did.  I mean, what's not to love?  Ham, bread, ooey, gooey cheese sauce, mustard, and even a little cilantro, just for color....but it was just so rich.  Too rich for me.  I ate about three bites, and just couldn't go on.

I think I'm going to try to make mac and cheese with the leftover cheese sauce though.  By itself, it wasn't overwhelming....maybe cut it with a little lemon juice?  And some bread crumbs?

Orangette's Jars of Deliciousness

Last one and then I'll quit talking about her for awhile, I promise.  It's just...I mean, first there was the mayo (which, I must note, also went into a jar) and now these three recipes--my fridge is full of jars full of deliciousness, all thanks to the lovely Orangette.

This week's goodies?

First, an awesome recipe for roasted tomatoes--Pomodori al Forno.  I'm using canned tomatoes because we don't have real ones yet, but the slow roasting process (and the little pinch of sugar) makes them taste like July.  My summer resolution is to buy a huge flat of tomatoes at the farmer's market, make about a million jars of these guys, and freeze them for next winter.  Merry Christmas to me!

Second and third--pickles!  

The jar to the right is full of pickled onions.  With a nice hint of cumin, and such a gorgeous color, these were awesome with brats the other night.  They're crunchier than cooked onions, but softer and milder tasting than raw onions--jussst right.  

But the real show stopper is to the left.  No your eyes aren't deceiving you, those are pickled grapes!  

A little weird, I know, but quickly becoming my favorite after-work snack.  On the first day after I made them, I wasn't sure whether I liked them or not.  The vinegar was a little overpowering.  However, each day they've gotten just a little less acidic, and a little more sweet.  By this evening (four days out) I was popping them like candy.  With every second or third grape you get this wonderful burst of cinnamon.  I think when I make them again--and I will--I'll probably double the cinnamon, just to make it a little more intense.  

The recipes for both kinds of pickles, plus a recipe for pickled prunes that I will probably be trying soon, are here.

Barefoot Bloggers: Chinese Chicken Salad

This month's first Barefoot Bloggers recipe was the Contessa's Chinese Chicken Salad chosen by McKenzie of Kenzie's Kitchen. 

Recipes like this one are the reason I love my internet cooking groups.  Chicken salad just seems a little fusty to me; a little old fashioned, and not in a good way.  As such, I never would have picked this recipe out on my own.

Which would have been a tragedy, because this is the perfect summer dinner!  The cold, crunchy veggies, chicken for a little protein--all dressed up in a peanut-butter-and-soy-saucy dressing with some relatively light rice noodles on the side....yum!

For the recipe, see the links above.

Two Things I Love This Week

Number one: Orangette.  Truly, this girl has me wanting to cook like a whirling dervish.  (Whatever that might be exactly.)  On advice of several other bloggers, I ordered her new book, A Homemade Life, from the library.  It's a wonderful mix of stories and recipes and family and food--I devoured it in one sitting and quickly moved on to both her blog and her monthly column for Bon Appetit.

The latter is where I found her recipe for homemade mayonnaise.  Holy.  Hell.

Our favorite brew pub makes it's own mayo.  A friend and I have been known to go and make a meal of it...with a few fries on the side, just to get some veggies in.  Is it completely awful that I can now recreate that meal at home?

Honestly, the mayo takes about ten minutes to put together, but the results are so worth it.  And if I had a mayonnaise making jar (or, more practically, a stick blender) it wouldn't be any work at all.  I used a bit more lemon than Orangette recommends (let's call it the juice of one whole lemon), and per Alton I will store it in the fridge for up to two weeks--if it lasts that long!

Number two: hank&cheef.  Yes, I'm still eschewing paper tissues when possible.  I really don't even think about it anymore, I've officially made handkerchiefs a habit.  (Except for the other night when a visiting friend asked for a tissue.  Felt less than hospitable pointing him to the bathroom tissue, but handing him one of my handkerchiefs--even a clean one--seemed kinda...eh.  Anyone have a good solution for that?)  At any rate, because allergy season is here and because they were super fun, I ordered a few new handkerchiefs. 

They arrived today.  Completely soft.  Completely cute.  Although they came all the way from Canada, the company uses the most minimal packaging I've ever seen, so that probably evens out a little, right?  Next time maybe I'll just have to order more than three at once--I see some owls in my future!

I Have Made Gnocchi and It Was Good

I remember it well.  A little Italian restaurant, a hankering to try something new--this was my first experience with the divine potato pasta that is gnocchi. The restaurant's owner brought my plate out himself, and teased about his "sweet Italian mama" slaving away in the back to make perfect little gnocchi pillows.  From the first bite, it was heaven--satisfying, but fluffy and smooth and light.  I went back for more at every opportunity, but sadly the restaurant eventually closed and I was on my own.

I tried to make gnocchi at home several times, which led only to potato goo and tears.  Then I started buying pre-packaged gnocchi, but they were dense and rubbery and never quite as good as the ones made by the sweet Italian mama--just enough to hold my gnocchi cravings at bay, while never fully satisfying them.

Given that history, this post from Deb at Smitten Kitchen resonated with me:

Before this past weekend, nothing made me feel more unskilled and less deserving of your readership than gnocchi, which was a damned shame because it’s probably my favorite pasta in the entire world. After reading countless accounts by others about what a “cinch” gnocchi is to make and how you will “never buy it frozen again,” I tried to make it about a year ago and it was a complete and total disaster. I am not mincing words.

....

But last week, I saw a technique on About.com that was so cunningly ingenious, I was unable to resist trying again. Get this: you grate the potatoes. No food mill or ricer purchase required! (Which is great because you don’t have room for one anyway!) After grating the baked and peeled potatoes, you knead in some flour, salt and an egg, and your dough is complete! And people, these are some killer gnocchi, with a lightness that I’ve only had before at top-notch Italian restaurants. The secret is to use as little flour as you need, and with this method, you’ll need a lot less. I haven’t quite mastered the little shapes you make with a fork, but rest assured that this has no effect on the final dish.

Encouraged by Deb--and then necessitated by the fact that my grocery store happened to be out of pre-packaged gnocchi--last weekend I decided to give myself one more shot at making gnocchi from scratch.  Using Deb's directions--baking the potatoes and grating them with a box grater, using as little flour as possible--the result was...a serious and complete success!

Truly, I danced around my kitchen as if I'd just invented fire, and giggled with glee at every bite.  They were smooth, they were light, they were fluffy....they were perfection!  My shaping could use a little practice, but towards the end I even started to get the hang of that--you kind of have to flick them off the end of the fork.

Yay! Yay! Yay!!!

I mixed them in with some shroomies, sage, and chicken stock for a sauce--a recipe from Jaime Oliver's Cook With Jamie.  Oh my lordy, everyone you have to try this!

Onward for the recipe!