Extra means more, as well as more than more.
Tired of sidekick duty, chiming in on extra special and extra clean, extra is going solo. “She’s extra,” adults should note, means excessive.
Snide isn’t a full-time gig. Extra still works its day job, cheering on adjectives, redoubling the efforts of nouns. It notes that gnocchi, delicious solo, are extra delicious paired with extra elements, like spicy greens, toasted mushrooms and truffle salt. The combo adds up to more than the sum of its parts. In a word, it’s extraordinary.
Gnocchi with Greens
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 1 minute
Makes: 3 servings
Gnocchi:
1 large (3/4 pound) russet potato, scrubbed
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground nutmeg
Up to 1/2 cup cake flour
For toasting:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup sliced white mushrooms
2 teaspoons rosemary, fresh or dried, chopped
To finish:
3 ounces baby arugula
Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Truffle salt
Parmesan cheese, in a chunk
1. Bake: Stab potato twice with a sharp knife. Bake at 425 degrees until tender when squeezed, 55-60 minutes. Alternatively, zap tender 5-6 minutes. Halve baked potato and press through a potato ricer. Discard skin.
2. Mix: Drop yolk onto potatoes, scatter on 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grates of nutmeg. Stir with a fork, just to combine. Sprinkle on 2 or 3 tablespoons flour, and mix gently to form a soft dough, adding flour as needed — you may only need half the flour.
3. Roll: Divide dough in four. On a floured surface, roll each portion into a ¾-inch-thick rope. Slice crosswise into 1-inch segments. Flip pieces over a fork, tines resting on table. Roll each gnocco down the back of the fork, pressing lightly, to imprint grooves.
4. Boil: Drop gnocchi into simmering salted water in batches. Gnocchi will sink, then, in about 1 minute, float. Count 10 seconds. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and cool on a kitchen towel.
5. Sizzle: In a wide skillet, heat butter and oil over medium. Slide in gnocchi and mushrooms; sprinkle with rosemary. Toss until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Pull out with a slotted spoon, and toss with half the vinaigrette.
6. Plate: Toss greens with vinaigrette to taste. Heap on each of 3 plates. Spoon gnocchi and mushrooms on top. Sprinkle with truffle salt. Carve on some Parmesan curls. Enjoy.
Vinaigrette: Let 2 tablespoons chopped red onion mellow in 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar for 20 minutes. Whisk in 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and a little garlic mashed with salt.
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