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.
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.
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.
TIPS:
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!
Readers are invited to visit her website at catherinebruns.net. Sign up for her newsletter and receive a free ebook.
My favorite comfort food is chicken and dumplings. 3labsmom@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteHi Brenda! Chicken and dumplings is another great food on a winter evening. Thanks for commenting and good luck!
DeleteMy favorite comfort food is pizza.
ReplyDeleteKitten143 (at) Verizon (dot) net
That's definitely one of my favorites too, Christine. Thanks for sharing!
DeleteDo I have to choose only one? Lol. My choice would be potato soup. Maybe because today is cold. Sissie_sue@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to choose just one! I probably have about a hundred, lol.
DeleteComfort 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
ReplyDeleteYum! That sounds delicious. Thanks for commenting.
Deleteoh 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.
ReplyDeletequilting dash lady at comcast dot net
Ice cream is great any time of the year, isn't it? Thanks for stopping by and good luck in the drawing!
DeletePizza for sure. jlb12563@sbcglobal.net
ReplyDeletePizza is definitely one of my favorites. Thanks for stopping by, Lynn!
DeleteI 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
ReplyDeleteThat sounds delicious. I will have to try it. Thanks for sharing and good luck in the contest!
DeleteI've got a few favorite comfort foods. Spaghetti, chicken and dumplings, bean soup and cornbread.
ReplyDeletetigermombleich@yahoo.com
Those are some great ones. I have too many to list here, lol. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteSounds good and quite doable.
ReplyDeletelibbydodd at comcast dot net
It was much easier than I thought, Libby. A bit time consuming but very fun to make. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteMy favorite comfort food is pizza. And, if I am truly in need, they will even bring it to me. lkish77123 at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteLinda, that's the best kind of comfort food, isn't it? The one that you can get any time! Good luck in the contest!
DeleteKaren B
ReplyDeletePizza. Snickerdoodles.
kpbarnett1941(at)aol(dot)com
Karen, snickerdoodles are a favorite of mine as well. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteThank you for the recipe and the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteShepherd's Pie
madamhawk at gmail dot com
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!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCheese enchiladas are my favorite comfort foods, followed by lasagna!
ReplyDeletepatdupuy@yahoo.com
Lasagna is a huge favorite in my house. Thanks for stopping by, Pat!
DeleteMy favorite comfort food is mac and cheese.
ReplyDeleteKellywcu8888ATgmailDOTcom
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!
DeleteMy favorite comfort food is pasta, any sauce or added ingredients.
ReplyDeleteLisacobblestone@aol.com
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!
DeleteGrilled cheese sandwich (with or without soup) is my favorite comfort food.
ReplyDeleteturtle6422 at gmail dot com
I was waiting for someone to mention grilled cheese, Jana. Yum!
DeleteMy favorite comfort food is a bacon cheeseburger. Gnocci is my favorite pasta dish. Looking forward to your new book.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
Thanks, Dianne! I haven't had a bacon cheeseburger in ages but I'm craving one now. Best of luck in the giveaway!
DeleteThank you for the recipe, and this chance! My favorite comfort food is Buffalo Chicken Pizza. areewekidding(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThanks 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!
DeleteChicken and noodles or macaroni and cheese, most definitely!
ReplyDeleteOops! Jteastman215atgmaildotcom
DeleteIt's hard to go wrong with either one of those, Teressa. Good luck in the contest!
DeleteChicken and dumplings is a great comfort food for us.
ReplyDeleteNancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
Another good one. I really should not be looking at all of these responses before dinner, lol! Thanks for stopping by, Nancy!
DeleteStrangely 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
ReplyDeleteThanks, Autumn! It's a super easy recipe and I think you'll enjoy it.
DeleteLove gnocchi thanks for the chance
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Kate, and good luck in the drawing!
DeleteIn 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
ReplyDeleteHi 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!
DeleteI 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
ReplyDeletetoday. Your series sounds great! lola777_22 at hotmail dot com
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!
DeleteChocolate Chip Ice Cream. cheetahthecat1986ATgmailDOTcom
ReplyDeleteOh, another great one, Kim. My family doesn't care if it's ten below zero, we eat it anytime. :) Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteSpinach artichoke dip on top of bread pieces! tWarner419@aol.com
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! My comfort food is mashed potatoes! lindaherold999(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteWhen 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
ReplyDeleteMy aunt's chicken and noodles. They are a family fave. Kkcochran (at) hotmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteI 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
ReplyDeleteMeatloaf and pototoes thank you for the chance Donakutska7@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI love good soups and bread.
ReplyDeleteDenise Clemente, dlc1228@gmail.com.
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!
ReplyDeleteI like a good pot roast cooked with onions, potatoes, and carrots homemade gravy from the drippings. librarypat at comcast DOT net
ReplyDeleteLasagna or macaroni and cheese.
ReplyDeletewskwared(at)yahoo(dot)com
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