Don't be scared off by its reputation--gnocchi in all its glory can be yours with a little patience and a lot of cheese. Top your potato pillows with carrots, basil, almonds, and clarified butter for a dinner that will knock your socks off.
Ingredients
For the gnocchi:
2 lb. russet potatoes (about 2 large)
2 c. flour
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
2 t. salt
Olive oil, for coating
For the toppings:
½ c. (1 stick) butter
½ c. blanched slivered almonds
3-4 carrots
5 leaves basil
Instructions
Wash and prick the potatoes, and bake them at 350 degrees F for an hour and 15 minutes.
While the potatoes cook, prepare the toppings.
Toast the almonds in the oven until light brown and fragrant, about 10 minutes.
Clarify the butter: melt it in a small pot over medium heat. It will bubble as the water boils out. When it stops bubbling, there will be a film of milk protein on top of the butter and another layer at the bottom. Use a spoon to skim the foam off the top, then carefully pour the liquid butterfat into a heatproof bowl until the color changes from yellow to white. Discard the white layer.
Peel and cut the ends off the carrots. Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin strips of carrot. Staying in one place (not rotating the carrot like you do to peel it) will give you wider strips.
Chiffonade or chop the basil.
Heat a tablespoon of clarified butter over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and cook, turning frequently (tongs work well here) until softened. During the last minute, add most of the basil.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle but still warm, use your hands to remove the peel. Grate the potato on the small holes of a box grater.
Add the flour, cheese, eggs, and salt to the potato and use your hands to gently mix it together. Turn it onto a floured surface and knead just until you have a smooth dough.
Break off an apricot-sized piece of dough and roll it between your hands into a thick rope. Continue to roll it on the floured surface until it is about as big around as your finger. Use a knife to cut the rope into one-inch pieces.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice water to cool the cooked gnocchi. Add about a quarter of the gnocchi at a time, stirring immediately to prevent them from sticking together. Cook for 4 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the ice bath.
Once they are cool, remove them from the cold water, place them in a bowl, and toss them in olive oil to prevent them from sticking. Repeat until all of the gnocchi are cooked.
Heat another tablespoon of clarified butter. Add the boiled and cooled gnocchi in a single layer and fry until they are golden on one side, then flip. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi. *Note: any water on the surface of the gnocchi will spit in the hot oil. You can shield it with a screen or just step to a safe distance until it calms down.
Divide the gnocchi among four bowls. Top with the carrots, the toasted almonds, and a drizzle of clarified butter. Garnish with Parmesan and the reserved basil.
Recipe by f-chem 101 at http://www.fchem101.myerspdx.net/2014/09/parmesan-gnocchi-with-shaved-carrots-and-basil/