Gnocchi with Pesto Cream Sauce & Asparagus
This spring Gnocchi with Pesto Cream Sauce & Asparagus is made with pancetta, asparagus, gnocchi, and a creamy arugula pistachio pesto.
Ingredients
Pesto
- 2 cups lightly packed basil
- 2 cups lightly packed arugula
- ⅓ cup pistachios, dry roasted & salted
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- Couple turns black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
Pasta
- 1 pound gnocchi, see note*
- 4 oz diced pancetta
- 1 shallot, diced
- 12 oz asparagus, (1 bunch) trimmed and diced into ½ inch pieces
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Al dente is best for this since you’ll be adding the gnocchi to the pan later.1 pound gnocchi
- Add the pesto ingredients, except the olive oil, to a large food processor. Blitz everything together until it forms a paste.2 cups lightly packed basil, 2 cups lightly packed arugula, ⅓ cup pistachios, ½ cup grated parmesan, 1 tbsp lemon juice, ¼ tsp sea salt, Couple turns black pepper
- While the food processor is running, slowly stream in the olive oil until it’s fully incorporated and the pesto looks wet and slightly thick. This recipe makes about a cup of pesto.¼ cup olive oil
- Add the pancetta to a large pan over medium heat. Sauté until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is fully cooked through.4 oz diced pancetta
- Add the shallot and cook until slightly soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.1 shallot
- Add the asparagus and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until slightly soft but not mushy.12 oz asparagus
- Add the pesto to the pan and let it heat up and mix with the other ingredients.
- Mix in the cream and add the cooked gnocchi. Toss the gnocchi with the sauce until everything is fully coated. Taste the gnocchi and sauce for seasoning.1 cup heavy cream
- Garnish the gnocchi with more parmesan and crushed pistachios, if desired.
Notes
*We like this dish saucy but you could make it with up to 2 pounds of gnocchi if you want to stretch it farther.