
1 pound asparagus tips
2 cups gnocchi
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced finely
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 cup cremini mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon sweet basil
1 teaspoon rosemary
1-2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
salt, to taste
2 tablespoon Italian herb blend
1 lemon (for zest and juice)
1. Cook asparagus tips in salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Prepare gnocchi according to package directions, usually about 3-6 minutes. Do not overcook gnocchi as it could turn out mushy. Drain gnocchi well.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil, then saute garlic slightly. Mix in gnocchi, yellow pepper and mushrooms.
3. Add basil, rosemary, pepper and other seasonings.Add lemon zest and squeeze the rest of the lemon's juice into the skillet. Use every last ounce of flavor the lemon has!
4. Fry gnocchi until brown. (I prefer this dish a little 'greasier' so I drizzle a little more olive oil as I cook, not too much!). Toss the asparagus in there. (You can also season asparagus separate and serve it as a side dish, but the messy look of the gnocchi with asparagus sticking out is visually appealing to me)
Serve it up and enjoy. I love this particular dish. The colors are bright and just generally makes me feel happy whenever I make it. It's pretty quick to make and I think would satisfy most gourmands. To keep it's "fresh and vibrant" look, it's important to not overcook the veggies.