BEET GNOCCHI

I pretty much see eighteen thousand recipes a day that I think look amazing (see foodgawker.com), but this is one I felt an immediate need to make. BEET GNOCCHI is such a brilliant idea, I can't even believe it. But the shock of the century this meal was that the gnocchi didn't even turn to be the best part. The site I found the recipe on had a pesto to serve them with which sounded really good. But Oh NO! I don't have any basil! But wait I have the ingredients for the besto pesto of your life: ARUGULA and PISTACHIOS! It was meant to be. I could (and did) eat this plain. Prepare yourself for the amazingness.

Ingredients:
Serves 2

GNOCCHI:
2 medium/largish beets (with tops!!)
1½ - 2 c. all purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
¼ tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper
[some bozos put an egg but that is so unnecessary, i don't even know why i'm mentioning it.]

PESTO:
2 c. arugula
¼ c. roasted pistachios
⅛ - ¼ c. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
Squeeze of lemon juice
Salt/pepper to taste (if you use salted pistachios like me, you'll barely need to add any at all)

Directions:
1. Roasting the beets:
Beets are the slowest cooking little trolls in the world so keep this in mind if you decide to make this. Preheat oven to 425F. Cut the tops off the beets, I also suggest cutting them into smaller pieces so they cook faster. Then rub a bit of olive oil on them, wrap them in tin foil, and pop them in the oven. Check them every 20 mins or so. Mine took an hour.
2. Besto Pesto:
While those badboys are in the oven, get the pesto ready. Put everything in a food processor and WIZ! Boom! Most delicious thing of you life.

3. Prepare Tops:
The beets are still in the oven, obviously, so prepare the tops. Cut the stems off at the base of the leaf. Then, stack them up and cut into 1 in. ribbons. Wash and set aside.
4. Burn Your Fingers:
Thank GOD, the beets are finally done. You’ve waited long enough, don’t bother letting them cool just start peeling right away. If you squeeze the 400 degree beet in your bare hand your skin the peel will slide right off.
5. WIZZZZ:
Put the beets in a food processor (blender would probs work too) and puree those chumps until smooth.
6. Make Dough:
In a large bowl add the first cup of flour and in the center form a crater? ditch? what is the technical term for this? Dump the beet puree in the hole? depression? why do these all sound wrong? Mix with your hands and keep adding flour until you have a soft dough that’s not too sticky.
7. Form Gnocchi:
Sprinkle flour on a clean surface. Cut dough into four equal parts. Roll each into a rope ½ in. thick. Cut into ¾in pieces. The size doesn’t matter that much, just make them the size and shape you find pleasing in your mouth. Let them sit about 15 min. (5 if you’ve had it with these beets making you wait)

8. Cook ‘Em:
Bring salted water to boil in a medium sized sauce pan. Drop around 8 in at a time. When they float to the top them are ready. Scoop them out into a colander. Sometimes they stick to the bottom and can't float up so I like to give them stir a minute into cooking in case this happens.
9. Tops:
Before adding your last batch, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a pan. After adding the last batch, toss the tops into the pan and sautee about 4 minutes until they are wilted and dark and one millionth  their original size. When all the gnocchi are done toss them in with the greens to warm them back up and then remove from heat.
10. SERVE!

Not only are these delicious, they are the most beautiful gnocchi you’ll ever see! These pictures don’t even do them justice (my camera makes everything and everyone uglier than they really are). The pesto goes with them and pretty much anything very well. If you want to make this for more people, it’s easy: just have one beet per person. Also, this is vegan and can easily be made gluten free by using the equivalent amount of rice flour.

While making this I listened to an episode of Radiolab and once again had my mind blown. 
Click here to listen/download!  
SPOILER ALERT: Deluminators are possible! What ?! (Okay, okay, somewhat possible/on the road to being possible. There is a troll here who is raining on my parade with his trollish lack of excitement)


Recipe inspired by: What's Cooking Good Looking