Ok, I give. I know I posted a decidedly wintry gnocchi recipe the other day, which was maybe less than fair given the current season. So I decided to counter it with a light, fresh gnocchi recipe that you can use RIGHT NOW, and you won’t have to use your oven (promise!) or even your stove for very long.
As I mentioned in my last post, I went home this weekend. It was SO nice to spend the whole weekend with my family! Upstate NY is beautiful this time of year, and even though I live in a pretty green part of DC, it was wonderful to get to spend a whole weekend barefoot in the grass and picking things from the garden. I also got my white hot dog fix, thank GOODness! If you aren’t lucky enough to know what a Zweigle’s white hot is, get thee to Rochester post-haste and get your hot little hands on one. They’re the best, and summers in Rochacha aren’t the same without ’em!
I managed to bring three ears of sweet corn and some fresh-from-the-garden basil home with me (thanks mom and dad!), and I couldn’t wait to put them to use. It’s just not summer without fresh sweet corn! I was sure the TSA was going to take my basil from me (I don’t know, it just seems like they’d be suspicious of a small plastic baggie of green stuff) or even my ears of corn, but nobody said boo and I escaped with my farm goodies still in hand. I even kept my hands off ’em for a whole 48 hours before putting them to use– that’s gotta be a self-restraint record! When I shucked the ears I tasted the raw corn and it tasted just like summer. BF thinks I’m nuts and that raw corn is gross and weird– am I crazy?! Do you eat/like raw corn, or am I alone in this?
Anywho, the great thing about gnocchi is that it only needs to boil for a few minutes. 3-4 min. and you’re good, how awesome is that?! Paired with summery veggies like zucchini and sweet corn, this is a great, fast meal that takes minimal effort (especially if you’re like me and you make somebody else do the dishes…thanks BF!) and doesn’t weigh you down.
Gnocchi with Zucchini and Sweet Corn (minimally adapted from the kitchn)
Serves 2-4
1 (16 ounce) package Gnocchi
4 T. Unsalted Butter, divided
1 medium Zucchini, very thinly sliced
1 c. Sweet Corn (from about two ears)
2 small cloves Garlic, minced
Squeeze of Lemon
2 oz. soft Goat Cheese
1 T. fresh Basil, cut into ribbons
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add gnocchi and cook for a few minutes until it floats to the top. Drain and return to the pot. Toss warm gnocchi with 1 T. butter and set aside.
Meanwhile, melt remaining 3 T. of butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the butter until it begins to bubble and turn light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Be careful not to let it burn. Add the zucchini, corn, and garlic and sauté until warmed through.
Turn off heat and stir the cooked gnocchi into the vegetables. Add a generous squeeze of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with small hunks of goat cheese and basil ribbons.
*Note: to make basil ribbons, just stack basil leaves and roll them up. Thinly slice the roll and you’ll be left with pretty little ribbons of basil-y deliciousness!
I LOVED this dish (BF was pretty happy about it too, but his opinion counts less because I said so, and because I know he won’t read this). Seeing as they’re baby dumplings, gnocchi have the ability to get heavy fast, but this dish keeps it light and tastes exactly like summer food should. It took precious little time to make, and packs a flavorful punch. I could babble for an embarrassingly long time about how great I think this dish is, so maybe instead you should try it and then YOU can babble about it!
Loved seeing everybody I got to see this weekend– hope it isn’t too long before I see you all again!
Law and Lentils 
I would have loved to have seen you, maybe next time you’ll drive by and wave! I’m definitely going to try this, probably tonight as my coffers are overflowing with both zucchini and corn! And basil! Only, I’ll probably make the gnocchi from scratch, ’cause that’s how I roll. Boil a potato, add some flour and and egg, bing, bang, boom, you’re done. I’m looking forward for to a new way to use all of that summer produce!
I’ll be sure to give your house a hi next time I’m around! And kudos to you (though i’m not surprised!) on the homemade gnocchi– you make it sound so easy that it’s tempting even to lazy me!