I whipped up this gnocchi for some friends with the leftover mortadella and ricotta filling I used for my agnolotti! This mixture makes a great sauce when it’s combined with a little pasta water. I’m not allowed to share my gnocchi recipe (you know how Nonnas can be) so we’ll say that I used fresh De Cecco gnocchi for her sake! This recipe serves 2-3 people.
Ingredients:
- 1 package De Cecco fresh gnocchi
- Mortadella and ricotta filling recipe here
- 1 tablespoon Mascarpone cheese
- 1 bunch of asparagus tips chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Olive oil
Process:
- Sautee asparagus in olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Note: I love black pepper and used a generous amount. Add anywhere from 1/2 tsp to 1 1/2 tsp.
- In a pot of salted, boiling water, cook gnocchi. Reserve a cup of pasta water near the end of the boil. Drain pot.
- In the pot of gnocchi, add 2/3 cup of mortadella and ricotta mixture, mascarpone and pasta water. Mix with a wooden spoon until smooth and mixture coats the gnocchi.
- Add asparagus and mix to incorporate. Taste test and add more salt if needed.
- I don’t think this dish needs a garnish because there is plenty of cheese in it but you can always add fresh grated parmigiano or pecorino on top!
