Crispy Gnocchi with Brussels Sprouts and Lemon
I know I'm late to the gnocchi party, but I’ve never been a huge gnocchi fan. That is — I wasn’t a huge gnocchi fan until I made this recipe. My previous homemade attempts had resulted in mushy, clumpy or boring dishes. But this New York Times recipe from Ali Slagle is different: it's crispy, fresh, flavorful and celebrates Brussels sprouts season.
I adapted Ali’s original dish slightly by making my own gnocchi rather than using store-bought. If you don't have the time or will to make your own gnocchi, feel free to use store-bought. I also doubled the amount of Brussels sprouts, backed off on some of the butter and finished the dish with lemon juice rather than parmesan. All these adjustments just make the dish taste and feel just a little fresher.
Let me know what you think of the recipe and don't forget to follow the sustainability tips below!
Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Active time: 20 minutes
Serves: about 6 people
Ingredients
2 lbs russet potatoes (about 4 large potatoes)
2 lbs Brussels sprouts
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 lemon
Red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Flaky salt and more red pepper flakes to top
Steps
Heat the oven to 400 F and bake potatoes for about an hour, or until easily pierced with a fork. While the potatoes are baking, trim Brussels sprouts, slice them in half and set them aside, and put a large pot of salted water on to boil.
Let potatoes sit until just cool enough to handle with minimal help from an oven mitt or towel. Slice potatoes in half and scrape the insides into a medium bowl. Discard (ideally, compost) the potato skins. Use a potato ricer or fork to mash the potatoes until just smooth. Create a well in the center of the potatoes. Crack the egg into the well, whisk lightly and stir to combine with the potatoes. Add 1 teaspoon salt and stir until just combined. Set potato mixture aside.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Arrange the Brussels sprouts cut-side-down in the pan. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt and the zest of 1 lemon over top. Let Brussels sprouts sit until brown on the bottoms, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add red pepper flakes to the pan, give the Brussels a stir and let cook for about 2-3 more minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat, transfer Brussels to a medium bowl and set aside while you finish preparing the gnocchi.
Pour out 1 cup of flour onto a clean, flat surface and turn out potato mixture onto the flour. Knead until all flour is incorporated. If the dough is still very sticky, add up to 1/2 cup more flour. Cut the dough into four equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, stretch the dough into a long rope about 1-inch thick. Sprinkle with more flour to coat the surface and then cut the rope into 1/2-inch rectangular pieces. Repeat with remaining dough.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the large skillet over medium heat. Then, place gnocchi into boiling salted water and boil until they start to float. Wait 15 seconds and then remove the gnocchi from the pot and transfer to the prepared skillet. Arrange all gnocchi in a single layer in the pan and let sit until their bottoms are golden brown. Then, gently stir the gnocchi and add in the butter. Let sit until the butter is foamy and beginning to brown. Toss the Brussels sprouts into the pan and let cook until warmed through. Top with fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper. Dig in!
Sustainability Tips
Potatoes, Brussels sprouts, lemon: Your best option here is to grow the produce yourself, but any local oranges are a great option. Also, be sure to make this recipe during the winter because that's when oranges are in season. This way, your oranges won't have to contribute as much to GHG emissions during travel.
Butter: Since cows contribute a lot to climate change, I like to buy my dairy products from B Corps, which are held to really high environmental and social standards. You could also try out vegan butter options here for a dairy-free dish.