Homemade Gnocchi with Peas and Pesto

For the Gnocchi

1. Place the whole, cleaned potatoes in a soup pot and cover with water. Cover and bring the potatoes to a boil. Boil the potatoes for 30-40 minutes, until very tender.
2. Remove the potatoes from the boiling water. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle (but still warm) remove the skins with your fingers or a small paring knife. (They should just slide right off.)
3. If you have a food mill or potato ricer, run the skinned potatoes through that, or just mash the potatoes roughly with two forks or a wire whisk. (The idea is the potatoes will be so soft they will mash without much effort.)
4. Create a mound of mashed potatoes on your work surface. Once the potatoes are cool enough that they won’t cook the egg, pour the beaten egg over the potatoes. Using a bench scraper, two spatulas, or your hands, work the egg into the potatoes until well incorporated.
5. Add the flour, ½ c at a time, mixing with your hands after each addition, until the dough comes together. (You are looking for a soft dough that is not sticky.)
6. Once you have a smooth ball of dough, divide it into 8 pieces and roll each piece into a snake roughly 1” in diameter.
7. Cut the snake into ¾” or 1” pieces.
8. Take each gnocchi and roll it along the tines of the back of a fork to create ridges in the gnocchi. (If desired.)
9. To Eat Now – Bring a pot of fresh water to a boil and add 1 tsp salt. Toss the rolled gnocchi into the boiling water and cook for 30 seconds, until they begin to float. Remove them from the water and toss them with your sauce.
10. To Freeze for Later – Place the gnocchi in a single layer on a lined and lightly floured baking sheet. Place in the freezer for 2-4 hours, until the gnocchi are frozen solid. Transfer the frozen gnocchi into an air-tight freezer bag or container and store in the freezer. When you are ready to use the gnocchi, simply pop the frozen gnocchi into a pot of boiling, salted water and cook until they float.

For the Dish

1. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan and add the onions. Sauté 3-5 minutes over medium heat until the onions begin to soften.
2. Add peas and sauté for an additional 3-5 minutes, until the onions begin to brown.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pesto and cooked gnocchi. If necessary, add a little of the gnocchi cooking water to the pan to thin out the sauce to your desired consistency.