The stores and markets are full of spring produce! Fresh peas, fiddlehead ferns, fresh favas, asparagus, morels. My refrigerator is full of fabulous things. So on a recent Friday night, I wanted to put together a seasonal meal for my friends. They offered to bring fresh pasta, but I had this recipe, from an old Bon Appetit, in the back of my mind. Because despite the name of my blog, there has not been much beet around here lately. So, I roasted some beets ahead of time and put them in the fridge. The gnocchi are fairly quick. They are a ricotta gnocchi, which have been all over blogdom lately because they were featured on the Daring Cooks challenge. This recipe is quicker and easier than that recipe, and as you can see, the results are a lovely purple color.

I made a sauce of peas, morels, and a little bacon. I added some grassfed meatballs, and Bouchon for 2’s lovely fiddlehead salad. It made quite a meal.

Beet Gnocchi
Serves 4
from Bon Appetit October 2006

3 small beets, trimmed
1 pound fresh ricotta cheese (I made it ^[1])
1 large egg
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, divided

1. Preheat oven to 450˚. Wrap beets in foil and roast until tender, about 1 hour.
2. Cool 15 minutes and slip skins off
3. Grate coarsely. Place 3/4 cup of beets in large bowl (reserve remaining beets for tomorrow’s salad)
4. Stir in ricotta, egg, 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste
5. Add 1 cup flour
6. You can make it ahead up to this point and refrigerate
7. Lightly dust baking sheet with flour. Place remaining 1/2 cup flour in small bowl
8. Measure out tbsp-sized scoops of dough and coat with flour
9. Roll with a gnocchi board or a fork to get the traditional indentations, or roll into a 1 1/2 inch log and gently press the center with your fingertip to make slight indentations
10. Transfer gnocchi to prepared baking sheet
11. Can be prepared to this point up to 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill
12. Put a large, well-salted pot of water on to boil. Cook gnocchi until they float to the surface, about 2 minutes
13. Cook about another minute, then remove with a slotted spoon.
14. Place gnocchi on plate and sauce appropriately. Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional Parmesan cheese

Pea and Morel Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup fresh peas
1 shallot, diced
fresh savory (can substitute thyme, basil or marjoram if savory is not available)
fresh sage
2 green onions, sliced
2 slices bacon, chopped
2 tbsp heavy cream or half and half
1/2 lb morels, cleaned and sliced
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese for garnish

1. In a large skillet, heat a tbsp of olive oil until it shimmers
2. Add shallots, savory, sage, and green onion
3. When the shallots soften and become translucent, add the peas
4. Add the chopped bacon and some more sage
5. Add the cream and stir until creamy and the peas are cooked but not wrinkled
6. Add the morels and stir into sauce. Cook the sauce about 2 more minutes, until the morels are softened and fragrant
7. Serve over pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese