Potato Gnocchi, Nutmeg Spinach Sauce & Orach Salad

Make the Nutmeg Spinach Sauce

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, cover, and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and fragrant but not browning, 10 minutes or so. Stir in the garlic, nutmeg, salt, and pepper and continue cooking for a minute. Add the water and spinach and cook, stirring constantly, just until bright green and wilted, only a minute or two. Transfer to a high-speed blender and carefully purée until smooth. (Hot liquids are dangerous—they canviolently erupt. For safety, drape a kitchen towel over the blender, start slowly, then gradually increase the speed.)

Return the sauce to the pot and reserve at room temperature. Bring to a simmer just before serving.

Make the Potato Gnocchi

Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until tender, 15 minutes or so. Drain the potatoes, rinse the pot, fill with hot water, and return to a simmer. Pass the potatoes through a ricer or food mill fitted with its finest disc into a large bowl and let cool until no longer steaming, 15 minutes or so. Sprinkle in 1½ cups (375 mL) of the flour. Add the eggs, salt, and pepper. With a sturdy wooden spoon, vigorously stir the mixture into a rough dough.

Measure the remaining ½ cup (125 mL) flour onto a work surface. Lightly flour your hands, reserving some flour to the side. Turn out the dough and lightly sprinkle with some of the reserved flour. Knead for a minute until a smooth dough emerges. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Dust 1 piece of dough with flour and roll into a long, even rope about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces. Cut each rope into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces. You should have 32 or so gnocchi.

Bring the simmering water to a boil over medium-high heat. Working quickly, immediately transfer the gnocchi to the boiling water. Cook, stirring gently,until all the gnocchi are floating and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Melt the butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. With a skimmer or slotted spoon, lift the cooked gnocchi from the water, drainingthoroughly, and transfer to the melted butter. Without stirring, patiently cookthe gnocchi until just one side is thoroughly browned and crispy.

Serve on a pool of warm spinach sauce with a tangle of fresh orach leaves and orach sprouts.

Excerpted from Farmhouse Vegetables by Michael Smith. Copyright © 2023 Michael Smith. Photography by Al Douglas. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.