Recipe: Asparagus pesto, gnocchi & ham

From staff and wire reports

April 07, 2011 at 10:25 am  | Mobile Reader | Print 

Family Features

Ingredients:

12 ounces asparagus
3/4 cup basil leaves
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup olive oil, or cooking oil
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon garlic, minced (6 cloves)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 16-ounce package potato gnocchi, or 8 ounces rotini  
2 cups ham, cubed

Directions:
Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Cook in a small amount of boiling water 5 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool.  For pesto, combine asparagus, basil, cheese, walnuts, olive oil, water, garlic and pepper. Cover and blend until nearly smooth. Divide pesto into thirds. Transfer 2 portions to freezer containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Set aside remaining portion. Prepare gnocchi according to package. Cook ham cubes in non-stick skillet until heated through. Stir remaining portion of the pesto into ham cubes; heat through. Toss gnocchi with pesto-ham mixture.

Yield: 4 servings

Have a great recipe?  E-mail michelles@heraldguide.com.