Because Costco stopped selling Tellicherry Peppercorns and now only sell the flat tasting black peppercorns I had to find them on the internet or take a long drive to the spice store and pay double. So when I found the best price for my Tellicherry Peppercorns on the internet (www.MySpiceSage.com) I also picked out Beet Powder because I was thinking about making beet gnocchi. When you make gnocchi  you want the lightest pillow of pasta possible. The secret is to use as little flour as possible. Too much flour makes a tough gnocchi. If the extra ingredients are moist like pureed beets then more flour will be added. Powdered beets works well with gnocchi dough. I thought I’d do something different and add sharp provolone to the dough because often strong cheeses like gorgonzola gets paired with beets. The rest just sort of popped in my head. The boiling water from the potatoes comes out amazing when you throw a banana pepper in the boiling water…..It’s just like magic….even if you don’t like heat in your food the banana pepper makes food delicious…..So a sauce needed to be made with that delicious flavorful well seasoned water and I came out with Green Pea Veloute. It’s just the potato water and you make a little roux, cook onions, add the peas, then add potato water and blend it up.

Ingredients for about 6 servings

1 lb brown skin potatoes (about two large) – peeled – cut in thirds – in pot covered with cold water

1 1/2 Tablespoons sea salt – to boil potatoes

1 banana pepper – cut in half diagonal – to boil with potatoes (I don’t think any other pepper will give the same flavor or that just right heat. I find these peppers at Asiana Market in Deer Valley. If you can’t find these peppers I suggest a vegetable stock but you might have to adjust seasonings a bit.

1 cup sharp provolone shredded (about 3 ounces)

1 egg – slightly beaten

2 Tablespoons beet powder

3/4 cup flour (your results may differ………you might need slightly more or less….when you are done making dough it’s important to do one tester gnocchi so you can adjust if needed)

2 teaspoons course sea salt

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

few grates fresh nutmeg

About 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil to sprinkle on gnocchi as they get done to prevent sticking.

2 oz unsalted butter

2 Tablespoons flour

3 oz sweet onions minced or grated

3 cups frozen sweet green peas

4 cups potato stock (if you substitute vegetable stock the salt and pepper might need adjustments)

Directions

Boil the potatoes with salt and banana pepper till tender on a medium boil till tender. (about 15 minutes)

When the potatoes are done discard the banana pepper. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon to a large bowl and keep the potato water off to the side.

Mash the potatoes (only if you have a really good masher where you can get lump free potatoes) or rice the potatoes. Add egg mash egg into potatoes. Mash cheese, beet powder

salt white pepper nutmeg and flour. You might have some trouble mashing all the flour into the potato mixture….DON’T WORRY…..you will get it all in….just take your time. The dough gets wetter. Then let the dough sit to the side while you make the veloute.

Melt butter with flour in a pan on medium heat till it bubbles. Add onions mix well and cook a few minutes and add peas. Cook a few minutes and add potato stock. Blend it up with a stick blender. Let it cook a few minutes and then take off the heat. ( you should do a taste test and adjust season if necessary)

Put a pot of water on to a medium boil with a tablespoon of sea salt. Put a string on the handle ********BUT BE CAREFUL NOT TO LET THE STRING CATCH ON FIRE!!!!!! The string is for cutting the gnocchi dough.

Insert a star tip into a disposable pastry bag and fold down the top of the bag. Add about 1/3 of the dough mixture and twist the end of bag to hold dough in.

When the water is boiling apply pressure to the end of the twisted bag and skirt out a gnocchi.

Cut with string over the boiling water.

Keep squirting out the gnocchi until you are done with dough in bag.

Gnocchi will float when they are done. I let them float about a minute or two. Then scoop them out with a slotted spoon into a large bowl. Drizzle the gnocchi with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Repeat till you are done with all the gnocchi dough.

Serve gnocchi over the veloute.

You might want to serve with grated provolone or Italian hard cheese and some fresh basil.

Something different and also delicious you might want to try!