Gnocchi - who's there

Gnocchi with Sage Butter

Even though we are trying to eliminating meat from the majority of our meals, I can not and will not give up luscious and hearty food. A foodie can not live by parsley salad alone. I love it when I find delicious meals where the meat is not missed or even welcomed.

Delicious meatless fare often has peasant roots, the product of a desire to create full bodied food from humble ingredients.

Gnocchi is as fun to eat as it is to say. Tiny pillows of potato and flour dumplings - delicate but with a little tooth.

2 large Russets

1 egg

1 1/2 cups flour

salt and pepper to taste

sage

1/4 cup butter

parmesan for garnish

1. Drop spuds into water and bring to boil - if you drop them into boiling water, the skin will burst and the glory inside will become waterlogged. Boil for about 20 min or until cooked through.

2. Use a tea towel to cradle the spuds while you disrobe them of their skin.

3. Mash and aerate - keep it fluffy

4. Add 1 cup flour and 1 egg, salt and pepper and work together with the hands - I also threw in some cottage cheese because I had a tad left. Do not over handle this sticky gloop.

5. Dump onto floured counter and knead in remaining flour until JUST no longer sticky, lest you want to make   chewing gum.

6. Roll into ropes and cut into segments - flour the dumplings generously to keeping the stickage down.

7. Drop into salted boiling water - give them a stir.

8. When they pop to the top, they're done.

9. Scoop into shallow tray and drizzle with oil and toss.

10. Brown the butter and add in a handful of chopped sage leaves.

11. Add gnocchi - I let them brown a bit.

12. Garnish with parmesan, salt and pepper to taste and yum.