Recipe: Baked Parsnip Gnocchi

By Nancy Caivano

Baked Parsnip Gnocchi

Serves 6

Ingredients:

3 lbs parsnips, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
3/4 cup water
1 stick butter
1 tsp salt
1 cup all purpose flour
4 eggs
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp parsley, minced
3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Steam parsnips until tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast until lightly browned, about 45 minutes. purée parsnips in food processor.

Bring water, butter and salt to boil in a medium saucepan, stirring until butter melts. Reduce heat to low. Add flour all at once, stir vigorously until mixture forms a ball, about 2 minutes. Transfer hot paste to bowl of electric mixer. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating 1 minute. Add 2 cups parsnip purée to paste mixture (use any remaining purée for something else, see note); beat to blend. Stir in pepper, parsley and Romano cheese.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper. Transfer dough to pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe 2-inch long pieces onto sheets, spacing apart. Bake gnocchi until crisp and lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Note:
Any leftover parsnip purée can be used as a soup base, as a mix-in for mashed potatoes, or as a side dish all on its own.