Gnocchi with Parsley Pesto

Today, Brett and I were down the mountain most of the day.  We went to yoga this morning, then to lunch with a friend, and then to my favorite market in Newport Beach to get the groceries for tomorrow's dinner.  I'm making our Valentine's Day dinner tomorrow night.  We never go out.  I make dinner, we drink champagne, and have a wonderful romantic evening at home.  After shopping, we took Pacific Coast Highway home, from Newport Beach through Laguna Beach and down to Dana Point before turning inland and up the mountain.  It was like a summer day with highs in the low 80s down there.  The beaches were packed with bikini clad women and Laguna Beach looked like the middle of summer with the streets choked with traffic. 

For dinner, I made gnocchi.  I was a bit nervous about it as I have only tried to make it once before and that was a total fail.  That time when I put the gnocchi in the boiling water to cook, they fell apart and turned into a big glob of mush.  This recipe looked easy, they said it was easy, and I watched a couple uTube videos on how to roll the gnocchi. 

First I assembled the ingredients: parsley from the garden, eggs from our chickens, potatoes, garlic, cheese, flour

I made the pesto by putting the parsley, cheese, garlic and some olive oil in the food processor and pulsing until I had a chunky parsley pesto.

I baked the potatoes and peeled them.  Then I put them through a ricer.  I tried to put some butternut squash through the ricer once.  Don't do it.  I tore a ligament in my elbow trying to force it through.  Stupid, stupid, stupid.  Now I stick to potatoes.

Add eggs, salt and flour to potatoes.  Mix well to make a nice dough.  

Turn dough out on a floured surface.

Divide the dough into eight pieces.  Roll each piece into a log as thick as your thumb.  Cut each log into pieces about 1/2 inch long.  Put on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Dust liberally with flour so the pieces don't stick together.

Hold this gnocchi board at a 45 degree angle to your work surface. Take each piece of dough and, using your thumb, roll it down the board.  It curled around my thumb and got these cool ridges.

I was so pleased with myself - you can't imagine!

Boil the gnocchi.  Kind of like making dumplings.  They sink, then float to the surface.

Put gnocchi in here.

Add pesto, Parmesan cheese and serve...

We had roasted asparagus on the side...














...and a glass of Austrian Riesling to drink.










And, lastly, I have a question for all of you out there:  A friend of Brett's, an Italian, gave us this bottle of Galliano.  I'm not familiar with it and am wondering how best to serve it.  We are big into wine but not much into liqueurs.  Any recommendations on how we should drink it?

Bon Appetit !