Presenting a French twist on an Italian classic, this gnocchi is easy and simple to prepare. Known as a Parisian gnocchi, the dough is a pate a choux dough, which is commonly used to make cream puffs or éclairs. The base pate a choux dough is versatile and has both sweet and savory applications depending on what is added to the dough and how it is cooked. For the savory application, we are adding in herbs and poaching them in boiling water. The resulting gnocchi is light and airy with a flavorful taste when sautéed in brown butter, basil, and cherry tomatoes.

From five common ingredients you probably have in your refrigerator right now, you can whip up this recipe or make some cream puffs if the mood strikes you. For the gnocchi, herbs are added and the dough is poached in water for a savory application (with a brown butter sauce for good measure). For cream puffs, leave out the herbs and bake in the oven or for churros deep fry the dough in oil and roll in sugar and cinnamon. Either way, you will come to love this easy dough. So get creative and experiment!

Start off with this Caprese Salad recipe, and finish with a light dessert, such as Triple Melon Salad recipe.

  • Yield: 3 to 4 servings
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Total: 45 mins
  • Active: 45 mins

For gnocchi:

  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
  • 4 eggs, room temperature

For brown butter sauce:

  • 4 ounces unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 bunch basil, julienned
  • Kosher salt
  • black pepper

  1. Combine water, milk, and butter in a medium saucepan. Set on stovetop over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, stir ingredients occasionally until the butter has melted. Once butter has melted, immediately add in all the flour and stir constantly. As the mixture cooks it will come together and start to pull away from the sides. Once the mixture leaves a skin on the bottom of the pan take off the heat.
  2. Using a wooden spoon vigorously beat in 1 egg at a time mixing thoroughly after each addition. Mix in salt, pepper, parsley, and chives into bowl. The resulting dough should be a sticky and pasty. Put into piping bag with tip or into a Ziploc plastic bag. Let the dough rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, fill a large saucepan with water lightly salted. Bring water to a gentle boil. Have a flat sheet-pan covered with paper towels ready for the cooked gnocchi. After the dough has rested, pipe ½-inch segments into the boiling water using a paring knife to cut the segments. Poach the gnocchi until they float to the surface and cook for about 2 minutes more before fishing them out. Lay them on the flat sheet in a single layer. Continue poaching until all the dough has been cooked.
  4. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add butter and cook until it is golden brown and develops a slightly nutty smell. Lower heat to medium and immediately add in cooked gnocchi and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add in garlic and halved cherry tomatoes, and sauté for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Turn off heat and add in julienned basil.
  5. Serve and garnish with Parmesan cheese.