John's Gnocchi Verde Recipe

Blanch the spinach: bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the baby spinach and cook for 20–30 seconds until wilted. Immediately transfer to an ice water bath to stop cooking.

Drain and squeeze: once cool, drain the spinach well and squeeze out as much water as possible using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.

Pulse to purée: place the drained spinach, basil (if using), 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons water (or reserved cooking water), and 1/4 tsp kosher salt in a food processor or blender. Pulse to a smooth, bright green purée, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust salt.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the gnocchi. Keep it at a gentle rolling boil so you can cook gnocchi in batches if necessary.

Cook the aromatics: in a large wide skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tbs butter with 1 tbs olive oil. Add the minced garlic and minced shallot and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant and softened, not browned.

Deglaze and add liquids: add 1 tbs dry white wine to the pan and simmer 30 seconds to reduce. Pour in 3 tbs stock and 3 tbs heavy cream, bring to a gentle simmer.

Incorporate the spinach purée: stir the prepared spinach purée into the cream mixture until fully combined and the sauce is smooth and uniformly green. Simmer gently 1–2 minutes to meld flavors.

Finish the sauce with cheese and seasoning: reduce heat to low. Stir in 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano until melted and incorporated into a creamy sauce. Add 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper; taste and adjust seasoning.

Keep the sauce warm on very low heat while you cook the gnocchi. If it becomes too thick, loosen with up to 2 tbs reserved gnocchi cooking water or stock.

Cook the gnocchi: add gnocchi to the boiling pot in batches so they don’t overcrowd; cook according to package directions until they float plus about 30–60 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked gnocchi directly into the skillet with the warm verde Reggiano cream sauce.

Finish the gnocchi in the sauce: toss the gnocchi gently in the sauce over low heat for 1–2 minutes so they absorb the sauce. If needed, add 1–2 tbs reserved cooking water to achieve a silky coating.

Chicken

Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbs olive oil and sear chicken 4–5 minutes per side until cooked through (internal temp 165°F / 74°C). Let rest 5 minutes, slice thinly and arrange atop gnocchi before serving.

Tofu (vegetarian)

Press tofu to remove excess water, then slice and pat dry. Season with salt and a little pepper. Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pan-fry tofu 3–4 minutes per side until golden and slightly crisp. Add tofu to plated gnocchi or toss gently into the sauce to warm for 30–60 seconds.

Wagyu Steak

Bring steak to room temperature and season lightly with salt. Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Add a small amount of neutral oil and sear steak 2–3 minutes per side for medium-rare (times vary by thickness). Rest 5 minutes, slice thinly across the grain and serve alongside or atop the gnocchi.

Smoked Shortrib

If using pre-smoked shortrib, gently warm 2–3 minutes in a low oven (250°F / 120°C) or in a covered skillet with a splash of stock to avoid drying. Pull or slice and arrange on top of the plated gnocchi.

Plate: portion gnocchi into shallow bowls. If you added protein, arrange the sliced or shredded protein over or beside the gnocchi.

Garnish: sprinkle 1/4 cup Reggiano shavings or grated Reggiano over each serving, add a pinch of lemon zest, a few toasted pine nuts if using, and finish with microgreens or chopped chives. Serve with a lemon wedge on the side.

Serve immediately while hot.