Sunday, January 10, 2021

Gnocci by Catherine Bruns plus a #giveaway

 My guest today is Catherine Bruns. Catherine and I share a love for Italian food and she's sharing the one variety of pasta that I've never tried to make.

CATHERINE

Tessa Esposito, the protagonist in my Italian Chef mysteries, whips up homemade pasta at her restaurant faster than you can say pappardelle. For me, it’s a little more difficult. Pasta is one of my favorite comfort foods but the thought of making my own has always been intimidating.

When I learned that the title for the next book was to be called The Enemy You Gnocchi (coming in October) I decided it was time to give it a try. The gnocchi were actually easier to make than I thought. The second time around I made a few simple changes which I thought greatly enhanced the flavor. It’s a great dish any time of year but especially satisfying on cozy winter evenings.



TESSA’S EASY GNOCCHI

  • 2 medium russet potatoes (I used the yellow flesh kind instead)
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½  cup whole milk ricotta
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan
  • 1 large egg
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ tsp. nutmeg

 





Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pierce the potatoes with a fork and place onto the prepared sheet. Place in the oven and bake until tender, about 1 hour. Let potatoes cool completely. 

Cut in half and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl and then mash. Transfer 1 ½ cups of potato to a large bowl; stir in flour, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. 














Working on a lightly floured surface, divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into an 18-inch-long rope, about 1-inch in diameter, sprinkling with additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. 






Using a sharp knife, cut each rope into 3/4-inch bite-size pieces, then transfer to a baking sheet. 







Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and then drop the pieces in separately. Cook the gnocchi until tender, stirring occasionally, about 4-6 minutes. Drain and transfer to a baking sheet. 






Cover with tomato sauce and grated cheese and serve.



To freeze, place uncooked gnocchi in a single layer on a heavily floured parchment-lined baking sheet, letting them air dry at room temperature for at least 1 hour, up to 4 hours. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer until solid, about 1 hour. Transfer to freezer bags.

 This recipe makes about two to three decent sized portions but if you have a large family (or all males like in mine!) you will probably want to double the recipe.  

 

TIPS:

 I substituted low-fat skim milk ricotta for the whole milk kind.

 The nutmeg is optional and my own preference, but I thought it gave the pasta a bit of a delicious nutty flavor.

Make the dough while the potatoes are still warm.

Gnocchi can easily get squashed while drained so don’t use a colander. Remove them from the pot with a skimmer or slotted spoon.

You can microwave the potatoes if you are in a hurry. It should take between 7 and 10 minutes.

 

GIVEAWAY

To win a signed copy of It Cannoli be Murder, the most recent book in the Italian Chef series, leave a comment that includes your e-mail letting me know what your favorite comfort food is. Sorry, U.S. delivery only.

 


IT CANNOLI BE MURDER:

It's time to serve some just desserts...

Six months after her husband's death, Tessa Esposito is hoping to drum up reservations for her restaurant's grand opening. And since a signing with bestselling author, Preston Rigotta, is sure to draw a crowd, Tessa agrees to cater her cousin's bookstore event—whipping up some of her famous Italian desserts. But the event soon takes a sour turn when Preston's publicist, an old high school rival, arrives and begins to whisk up their old grudges.

That night, a fight breaks out in front of the crowd, and it becomes clear there's bad blood in Harvest Park. And when the publicist is found dead on the bookstore floor the next morning, a stray cannolo at her side, Tessa knows who will be framed as the prime suspect.

To clear both her cousin's and her own name, Tessa must investigate the murder. But Preston's publicist has many secrets to hide, and in the end, the truth is bittersweet...

Recipes Included!

 USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns lives in New York with her very patient husband, three sons, and several spoiled pets. Catherine has a B.A. in English and is a former newspaper reporter and press release writer. In her spare time, she loves to read, bake and attend live theater performances. 

Readers are invited to visit her website at catherinebruns.net. Sign up for her newsletter and receive a free ebook.

 

 

 

 

63 comments:

  1. My favorite comfort food is chicken and dumplings. 3labsmom@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Brenda! Chicken and dumplings is another great food on a winter evening. Thanks for commenting and good luck!

      Delete
  2. My favorite comfort food is pizza.
    Kitten143 (at) Verizon (dot) net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's definitely one of my favorites too, Christine. Thanks for sharing!

      Delete
  3. Do I have to choose only one? Lol. My choice would be potato soup. Maybe because today is cold. Sissie_sue@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's hard to choose just one! I probably have about a hundred, lol.

      Delete
  4. Comfort food especially now during winter is soothing. My favorite is roast chicken with roasted baby red potatoes and roasted brussels sprouts. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yum! That sounds delicious. Thanks for commenting.

      Delete
  5. oh what a wonderful recipe. thanks for sharing. this books sounds delightful. thanks. my comfort food is vanilla ice cream. i really like the little cups so i dont eat too much. yah way too easy to do.
    quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ice cream is great any time of the year, isn't it? Thanks for stopping by and good luck in the drawing!

      Delete
  6. Pizza for sure. jlb12563@sbcglobal.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pizza is definitely one of my favorites. Thanks for stopping by, Lynn!

      Delete
  7. I need comfort food everyday when the weather is cooler and winter is here. An old favorite from when I was young is Bow ties and kasha and homemade chicken soup. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That sounds delicious. I will have to try it. Thanks for sharing and good luck in the contest!

      Delete
  8. I've got a few favorite comfort foods. Spaghetti, chicken and dumplings, bean soup and cornbread.
    tigermombleich@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Those are some great ones. I have too many to list here, lol. Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  9. Sounds good and quite doable.
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was much easier than I thought, Libby. A bit time consuming but very fun to make. Thanks for commenting.

      Delete
  10. My favorite comfort food is pizza. And, if I am truly in need, they will even bring it to me. lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Linda, that's the best kind of comfort food, isn't it? The one that you can get any time! Good luck in the contest!

      Delete
  11. Karen B
    Pizza. Snickerdoodles.
    kpbarnett1941(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Karen, snickerdoodles are a favorite of mine as well. Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  12. Thank you for the recipe and the giveaway.
    Shepherd's Pie
    madamhawk at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am probably in the minority here, but I have never tried shepherd's pie. I've heard it's amazing, though. Thanks for commenting and good luck in the contest!

      Delete
  13. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Cheese enchiladas are my favorite comfort foods, followed by lasagna!
    patdupuy@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lasagna is a huge favorite in my house. Thanks for stopping by, Pat!

      Delete
  15. My favorite comfort food is mac and cheese.
    Kellywcu8888ATgmailDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, yes! Creamy mac and cheese is another favorite. Now I'm tempted to make some for tonight's dinner, lol. Thanks for commenting, Kelly!

      Delete
  16. My favorite comfort food is pasta, any sauce or added ingredients.
    Lisacobblestone@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pasta has always been a family favorite, Lisa. My paternal grandmother was born in Sicily and her homemade pasta and tomato sauce was to die for. How I wish I had her recipes! Good luck in the giveaway!

      Delete
  17. Grilled cheese sandwich (with or without soup) is my favorite comfort food.
    turtle6422 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was waiting for someone to mention grilled cheese, Jana. Yum!

      Delete
  18. My favorite comfort food is a bacon cheeseburger. Gnocci is my favorite pasta dish. Looking forward to your new book.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Dianne! I haven't had a bacon cheeseburger in ages but I'm craving one now. Best of luck in the giveaway!

      Delete
  19. Thank you for the recipe, and this chance! My favorite comfort food is Buffalo Chicken Pizza. areewekidding(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by, Robyn! My sons love buffalo chicken pizza. I made it once, but they said they preferred Pizza Hut's. I guess you can't please everyone all of the time, lol!

      Delete
  20. Chicken and noodles or macaroni and cheese, most definitely!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oops! Jteastman215atgmaildotcom

      Delete
    2. It's hard to go wrong with either one of those, Teressa. Good luck in the contest!

      Delete
  21. Chicken and dumplings is a great comfort food for us.

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Another good one. I really should not be looking at all of these responses before dinner, lol! Thanks for stopping by, Nancy!

      Delete
  22. Strangely enough, my comfort food is gnocchi. I haven't made it myself, and I probably really should. Thanks for the delicious recipe and the giveaway, and congratulations on the upcoming new release! aut1063(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Autumn! It's a super easy recipe and I think you'll enjoy it.

      Delete
  23. Love gnocchi thanks for the chance

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by, Kate, and good luck in the drawing!

      Delete
  24. In cool weather my favorite comfort food is turkey chili. It makes lots of leftovers, and all I have to add when I reheat is avocado, more onion, and more cheese. mbunting(at)sbcglobal(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Margie! Your recipe sounds good. My husband loves chili but he's not a huge fan of turkey being used. It's so much healthier than red meat, though. Thanks for commenting!

      Delete
  25. I love gnocchi! My favorite comfort foods are many, and mostly involve carbs and cheese! Any pasta, potatoes, tortillas and bread will do. I also love meatloaf, roasts, chili, enchiladas, chicken and dumplings and nice warm bowls of soups and gumbos on cold dreary days like
    today. Your series sounds great! lola777_22 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Lynn! I definitely should not have read this post before dinner, lol. These all sound so good. Thanks so much for stopping by and good luck in the giveaway!

      Delete
  26. Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. cheetahthecat1986ATgmailDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, another great one, Kim. My family doesn't care if it's ten below zero, we eat it anytime. :) Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  27. Spinach artichoke dip on top of bread pieces! tWarner419@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  28. Happy New Year! My comfort food is mashed potatoes! lindaherold999(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  29. When I'm feeling down or under the weather nothing works better to pick me up than my husband's spaghetti sauce. It never comes out the same way twice, but it always makes me feel good. macsterdaly(at)gamil(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  30. My aunt's chicken and noodles. They are a family fave. Kkcochran (at) hotmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  31. I think for me it is spaghetti with garlic bread, followed by apple pie or banana pudding. I know those things don't sound like they would go together but it works for me. 1cow0993(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  32. Meatloaf and pototoes thank you for the chance Donakutska7@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  33. I love good soups and bread.
    Denise Clemente, dlc1228@gmail.com.

    ReplyDelete
  34. I recently finished "It Cannoli be Murder"! Just loved it and all your books that I have read! They are comfort food for the soul! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  35. I like a good pot roast cooked with onions, potatoes, and carrots homemade gravy from the drippings. librarypat at comcast DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  36. Lasagna or macaroni and cheese.
    wskwared(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  37. I love GNOCCHI..I love lasagna, pastas, just about any pasta is my comfort food along with bacon & broccoli quiche, Yum Yum! Thanks so much, looking forward to your new book!!! nani_geplcs(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete