Gnocchi anyone?

I have been meaning to try this recipe for awhile and the ingredients have been sitting in our fridge for almost a week. Since we are moving in 3 weeks from tomorrow, it's time to clean out the fridge and the pantry, and cook up what we've got.

Gnocchi is one of my favorite "pastas" if you will. There is something so very comforting about those little potato dumplings. Trader Joe's has an excellent pesto version, but the ones Matt picked up at the store were parmasean/potato. And they were delicious. I wasn't too sure how this recipe would turn out, especially when I realized that I forgot to reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water! But it was delicious, or so Matt said. For whatever reason I wasn't hungry last night. It was a very hearty meal and I'm sure I'll make it again soon.

CKS Note: I only used about 1/4 to 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 onion to save calories and my sensitive stomach.

Gnocchi with Sausage and Spinach

from Real Simple

Tip: Gnocchi are small, quick-cooking dumplings, usually made from potatoes. You'll find them with the fresh or dried pasta in supermarkets, or you can substitute a short pasta, such as rigatoni, penne, or farfalle.

Ingredients

2 9-ounce packages refrigerated gnocchi or one 17.5-ounce package shelf-stable gnocchi

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed

1 clove garlic, finely chopped1

5-ounce bag baby spinach

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Parmesan, plus more for garnishing

Directions:

Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, crumbling it with a spoon, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, spinach, salt, and pepper and cook, tossing frequently, until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes. Add the drained gnocchi, the reserved cooking liquid, and the Parmesan and toss. Divide among individual bowls and sprinkle with additional Parmesan.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

CALORIES 815 (53% from fat); FAT 48g (sat 14g); CHOLESTEROL 96mg; CARBOHYDRATE 58g; SODIUM 1,886mg; PROTEIN 36g; FIBER 4g; SUGAR 11g

Real Simple, MARCH 2007