Spinach and Basil Pesto Gnocchi

Ingredients

• Gnocchi

  Sainsbury's

  17 ⅝ oz or 499g

• Mozzarella cheese

  Part skim milk

  8 oz or 227g

• Green beans

  Snap beans, raw

  5 oz or 142g

• Garlic

  Raw

  2 clove or 6g

• Squash

  Summer, crookneck and straightneck, raw

  200g

• Spinach

  Raw

  1 package (10 oz) or 284g

• Basil

  Fresh

  100g

• Mascarpone Fresh Cheese

  Whole Foods Market

  50g

• Parmesan cheese

  Low sodium

  ⅓ cup, grated or 33g

• Walnuts

  Nuts, black, dried

  ¼ cup, chopped or 31g

Directions

1. Prepare Ingredients: Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Pick the basil leaves off the stems; discard the stems. Cut off and discard the ends of the squash. Quarter the squash lengthwise; cut crosswise into bite-sized pieces. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Snap off and discard the stem ends of the green beans; cut the green beans into thirds. Roughly chop the walnuts.
2. Cook and Drain spinach: In a large pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Working in batches if necessary, add the spinach; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until wilted. Transfer to a strainer; hold or rest the strainer over a bowl. Using a spoon, press down on the cooked spinach to release as much liquid as possible; discard the liquid. Transfer the drained spinach to a cutting board and add the basil; finely chop the drained spinach and basil. Wipe out the pot.
3. Make the pesto: In a large bowl, combine the chopped spinach and basil and half the Parmesan cheese. Slowly stir in enough olive oil to create a rough paste; season with salt and pepper to taste
4. Cook the squash: In the pot used to cook the spinach, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the squash; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened and fragrant.
5. Cook the green beans and gnocchi: While the squash cooks, add the green beans to the pot of boiling water. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until bright green. Add the gnocchi; cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until the gnocchi float to the top of the pot and the green beans are slightly softened. Drain thoroughly.
6. Finish and serve: Add the cooked green beans and gnocchi, mascarpone cheese and pesto to the pot of squash. Cook, stirring vigorously to coat the gnocchi, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until thoroughly combined. Remove from heat and stir in the mozzarella cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the finished gnocchi between 4 dishes. Garnish with the walnuts and remaining Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

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