Foodista's Pesto, Turkey Gnocchi Bake

Yes, I'm very much into these fall/winter "bakes" as you've probably noticed. It's mainly because I love how warm and comforting they are, but also because I get to use my nice Emile Henry ceramic-ware. Call me crazy but any time I get to take out a beautiful dish with a nice golden crust and bubbly hot cheese, it makes me happy.

I made up the below recipe for a Pesto, Turkey Gnocchi Bake by mixing homemade basil pesto with sauteed ground turkey and gnocchi, then topping it with panko breadcrumbs and baking it in the oven. Every bite felt like a treat--first you got the sharp taste of the pesto, followed by the pillowy texture of the gnocchi and in between, you could feel the crunchy bits from the breadcrumbs. Don't mean to toot my own horn but this dish was gooood--so good in fact that Dan proclaimed it "the best" I've ever made. Don't know about that, but I can guarantee you'll like it:

Foodista's Pesto, Turkey Gnocchi Bake (serves 2)

Ingredients:
1 package of gnocchi
2 cups of fresh basil
2 1/2 cloves of garlic
Olive oil
2 tbs of fresh Parmesan cheese, shaved
2 handfuls of fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes
1/2 lb of ground turkey
A pinch of dried thyme
1/4 - 1/3 cup of panko breadcrumbs (depends how much you like)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a square 8" x 8" casserole dish.

To make the pesto, place the basil, 1 1/2 cloves garlic, salt and pepper (a pinch of each) into a food processor and pulse. Gradually add about 2 tbs of olive oil or more, depending on the consistency that you prefer. Pulse a few more times until incorporated and then take out of the food processor. Add 1 tbs of Parmesan cheese and mix with a spoon.

In the meantime make the gnocchi according to the directions on the box.

While the gnocchi is cooking, get the turkey ready. In a medium skillet on medium heat, add about 1 tbs of olive oil and then toss in 1 tbs of chopped garlic. Make sure to watch the garlic closely, as it has a tendency to burn quickly. Add the turkey and separate with a wooden spoon. Add salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Cook for about five minutes or until well done - taste to make sure that it's cooked through.

Take the gnocchi out of the boiling water with a slotted spoon and place directly into the skillet with the turkey. Add the pesto to the hot gnocchi and mix everything together until well incorporated. Place the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and top with cubes of fresh mozzarella cheese.

Now prepare the breadcrumbs by tossing the panko with 1 tbs of Parmesan cheese. Add salt, pepper and a touch of olive oil and mix together with your hands. Sprinkle on top of the gnocchi mixture and bake in oven for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.

Enjoy this meal with a big glass of your favorite beer.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sauce

I'm focusing on hearty dishes lately for the obvious reasons - it's just way too cold outside. This is an easy recipe that I was inspired to make when I saw yummy sweet potato gnocchi at the Foodcellar supermarket. They weren't too expensive at $5.49 for fresh, good quality gnocchi. I also used Fontal cheese to sprinkle on top, and that I got at Foodcellar's specialty cheese counter.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sauce (serves 2)

Ingredients:
1 package of sweet potato gnocchi (fresh is preferable - and if you're really an expert, you can make them yourself)
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
1 1/2 tbs of light brown sugar
A pinch of ground cinnamon
A handful of fresh sage leaves
A shaving of fontina cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a medium frying pan, melt the butter on low heat. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon until you start to smell the delicious aromas (maybe for 2-3 minutes). Add sage leaves and fry them in the butter until they get crispy and you begin to smell a detectable earthy fragrance.

Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi according to the directions on the package - or cook in boiling water until they float to the top. Do not drain. Instead transfer with a slotted spoon or a skimmer directly into the brown butter sauce. Because the butter sauce is very hot at this point, the gnocchi will fry, getting slightly crispy around the edges. Season with coarse salt and pepper to taste and add the fontina cheese on top. It should melt nicely.

Remove from heat and cool for about 3-5 minutes and then serve.

This is a tasty dish that's a cross between a dessert and an entree. I think that you'll enjoy it.