Gnocchi for breakfast? It’s a pasta lover’s delight.

Eggs, tomatoes, pesto and cheese create an Italian breakfast bake‚—so good and versatile that you can serve it for lunch and dinner, too (photo #1).

Thanks to DeLallo for the recipe. You can purchase authentic Italian ingredients on the DeLallo website, including a kit to make your own gnocchi from scratch.

We bought ours ready-to-cook, but here’s a gnocchi recipe to make without the kit.

Whatever meal you choose, serve the gnocchi bake with a side salad, lightly dressed in vinaigrette.
 
 
RECIPE: BAKED EGGS WITH GNOCCHI & PESTO

Ingredients For 4-6 Servings

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F and grease a 9-by-9-inch square pan.

2. BRING a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

3. WHISK together the eggs, milk, salt, and pesto. Place the gnocchi in the prepared pan and cover with the egg mixture. Drop heaping spoonsful of ricotta onto the mixture, placing them as evenly as possible throughout the pan.

4. PLACE the tomatoes between dollops of ricotta. Sprinkle with the parmesan and bake until the eggs are completely set and starting to brown, about 30 minutes.

5. REMOVE from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF GNOCCHI

A classic Italian pasta, these pillowy potato dumplings (photo #3) delight many pasta lovers.

The word “gnocchi” (pronounced N’YAW-kee) has an unknown origin, but it may have derived from the Italian word nocca, meaning knuckle.

Another possibility is the Italian word nocchio, meaning a knot in wood.

Gnocchi has been a traditional type of Italian pasta—the shape is probably of Middle Eastern origin—since Roman times. It was introduced by the Roman legions during the expansion of the empire into the countries of the European continent.

In Roman times, gnocchi were made from a semolina porridge-like dough mixed with eggs [source].

Gnocchi were the perfect peasant food, both filling and inexpensive. Before the potato version was created, gnocchi were made with ingredients such as breadcrumbs and squash.

The use of potato is a relatively recent innovation, occurring after the introduction of the potato to Europe in the 16th century (it was one of the food discoveries in the New World).

[1] Gnocchi and eggs for breakfast (photos #1 and #2 © DeLallo).

[2] You can purchase ready-to-cook gnocchi, or make your own from scratch with this kit from DeLallo.

[3] Pillowy gnocchi, ready to cook (photo © Neco Garnicia | SXC).

While gnocchi are dumplings, we like to include them in the group called pillow pasta, stuffed with a pillowy filling. (Ravioli is a pillow pasta. What other varieties can you name? Click the link.)

Introduced to different regions of Italy, gnocchi became made variously of semolina, potato or sweet potato; with optional cheese or eggs added to the dough; and optionally flavored with basil, saffron, spinach or tomato. Today, pumpkin is an option.

The most common way to prepare gnocchi today is to combine mashed potatoes with flour, although modern variations add different cheeses—goat, gorgonzola, ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano. In addition to the flavors noted above, creative chefs make gnocchi in beet, butternut squash, carrot, sweet potato and other flavors.

They can be served mixed with vegetables (asparagus, broccoli rabe, cherry tomatoes mushrooms, peas, spinach, etc.) and proteins (chicken, clams, ham, pancetta, sausage).

Depending on their flavor, gnocchi pair with many sauces, from simple butter and parmesan or tomato to oxtail or pork ragù. One of our favorites is brown butter with crispy fried sage.

Is it time to expand your gnocchi horizons?
 
 
CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PASTA IN OUR PASTA GLOSSARY
 
 
WHAT ARE GNUDI, & HOW ARE THEY RELATED TO GNOCCHI & PILLOW PASTA?

[1] Warm potato salad Japanese-style. The recipe is below (photo © Idaho Potato Commission).

[2] Hot, but not too hot, shishito peppers (photo © Spoon Fork Bacon).

[3] Shichimi togarashi is the Japanese seven spice blend. Here’s more about it (photo © Colourbox).

[4] Grated ginger (photo © Luxury Travel Thailand).

[5] Fingerling potatoes (photo © The Roasted Root).

While cold potato salad rules the summer, the cool weather calls for warm potato salad.

Warm potato salad combines sliced potatoes, often with vegetables. They bypass the mayo and dairy dressings (buttermilk, sour cream, yogurt) for a warm vinaigrette:

 
The best-known of the warm potato salads is the Southern German potato salad that is served with sausages and other meats.

It layers the flavors with red onions, chives or scallions, parsley and dill in a mustard vinaigrette.
 
While warm potato salad is a dinner side, you can certainly serve it with a sandwich or a burger at lunch—warm or cold from the fridge.

September is National Potato Month, so start cooking those spuds*!
 
 
RECIPE: WARM POTATO SALAD JAPANESE-STYLE WITH SHISHITO PEPPERS & SHICHIMI TOGARASHI

This recipe was developed for the Idaho Potato Commission by Cheryl Bennett of Pooks Pantry.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Wash the potatoes and slice them in half lengthwise.

2. TOSS the potatoes in a medium bowl with the canola, shichimi togarashi, shishito peppers and a pinch of salt and pepper.

3. LAY the potatoes on a parchment-lined sheet pan and roast until they are easily pierced with a knife (30 minutes). Meanwhile…

4. MELT the butter and add the grated ginger to it. Let it sit to infuse the flavor while the potatoes are roasting.

5. REMOVE the potatoes from the oven when they are done, and let them cool enough to handle. Toss them in the ginger butter and serve warm.
 
 
RECIPE: SHICHIMI TOGARASHI

You can buy shichimi togarashi as a blended spice mix (photo #3), or make your own.

A seven-ingredient spice blend, shichi means “seven” in Japanese, togarashi is red pepper.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. GRIND the ingredients together to a coarse consistency. Store in an airtight container.
 
 
MORE WARM POTATO SALAD RECIPES

________________

*Why are potatoes called spuds?

Among other definitions, a spud is a sharp, narrow spade used to dig up large rooted plants, like potatoes. Around the mid-19th century, farmers began using the term as slang to refer to potatoes themselves [source].

We refer not to the hallucinogen psilocybin mushrooms—we’ve never been anywhere near one.

September is National Mushroom Month—that means mushrooms in cuisine.

We find culinary magic in the variety of culinary mushrooms available year-round.

Why are they magic?
 
 
REASONS TO MEET MORE MUSHROOMS

 
Mushrooms provide a texture comparable to meat. Whether exchanging just a portion of meat or replacing it altogether, mushrooms are an excellent mix-in or vegetarian alternative for everything from burgers, meatballs, sloppy joes, even tacos.
 
We’re not just talking white button mushrooms and portabellas. Check out our Mushroom Glossary to discover many delectable mushroom types.
 
 
WAYS TO SERVE MUSHROOMS

 
 
MUSHROOM RECIPES

 
Mushrooms For Dessert

Yes, you can even have mushrooms for dessert! Check out these recipes from:

 
There are many more online.

Hmmm…maybe we need a mushroom dessert festival?

[1] Breakfast: mushroom toast. Who needs avocados when you can have sautéed mushrooms atop spinach or chard, topped with shaved parmesan? Here’s the recipe (photo © Edwards Dessert Kitchen | Minneapolis)

[2] Lunch: mushroom and chicken teriyaki lettuce cups. Mushrooms substitute for half of the chicken component (photo © The Mushroom Council).

[3] Dinner: Mushrooms mixed with pasta cut your carbs by one-third or one-half (photo © Sun Basket).

[4] Dinner: Poached fish (here, cod) in a mushroom broth with mixed mushrooms, asparagus and fava beans (photo © Le Bernardin | NYC).

[5] Dessert: A mushroom-chocolate brûlée from Chef Nir Mesika at Timna Restaurant in New York City. The chef describes it as “a funky, almost caramel-like porcini brûlée topped with honey-sage ice cream and Tonka bean meringue.” Here’s more about it (photo © Alex Lau | Bon Appetit Magazine).

[1] Sauerkraut with beef, burgers, hot dogs, salmon and sandwiches (photos #1 to #4 © Cleveland Kraut).

[2] Beet Red Cleveland Kraut, made with red cabbage, beets and cabbage. Try it with hot dogs, meat dishes and salads paired with goat cheese.

[3] Green cabbage, green bell peppers, jalapeños, leeks, red chiles, sriracha and seasonings make Gnar Gnar a match with egg dishes, rice, salads and tacos.

[4] This “spirited” kraut combines fresh garlic and dill with barrel-aged whiskey, which adds a subtle sweetness to each batch. Pair it with chicken, salads and sandwiches.

[5] Did you say sauerkraut cake? “People might need some coaxing to try it,” said someone who made the recipe, “but once they do, they will love it.” Here’s the recipe (photo © Taste Of Home).

Sauerkraut is one of our colleague Laura’s favorite foods. Her family has made it for generations and love it so much, they eat it from the jar.

We created a sauerkraut dinner menu for her—6 courses selected from these 40 sauerkraut recipes—using our Top Pick Of The Week:

Cleveland Kraut sauerkraut, a terrific line of flavored krauts: raw, unpasteurized and lacto-fermented.

If you like plain sauerkraut, you’ll likely be thrilled with Cleveland Kraut’s flavored krauts. All start with green cabbage (except for Beet Red, which uses red cabbage), then deftly add seasonings.

Flavors—each deliciously flavorful and crunchy—include:

 
 
WHY SAUERKRAUT IS GOOD FOR YOU

Sauerkraut is one of a group of fermented foods that is full of natural probiotics, nutrients and flavor*.

Here’s a review of the nutrition and health benefits.

Fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kefir offer many health benefits. They restore gut health, support our immune system and help us to better absorb nutrients.

Whether it’s sauerkraut in Germany, kimchi in Asia (especially Korea), cortido (or curtido) in Central America or choucroute in France, fermented cabbage is consumed wherever cabbage is grown.

All you need to ferment it is salt. At the correct level of salinity and at the proper temperature, cabbage will ferment into sauerkraut.

The addition of vinegar is looked upon with contempt by makers of “true” sauerkraut, who declare that it’s used only by those who don’t take the time to go through a full fermentation process and want a cheap and quick way to achieve acidity.

Several different bacteria are at work during this process. The most often cited probiotic bacterium associated with sauerkraut is Lactobacillus plantarum.

With supermarket sauerkraut, note: Many commercial fermented cabbage products have been pasteurized. The heat destroys the friendly bacteria as well as the harmful ones. For probiotic benefits, seek out raw/unpasteurized kraut.

Another benefit: Unlike pasteurized kraut, raw kraut is crunchy.

If you want to make your own, here’s how.

Whether you buy it or make it, save the liquid—it’s a great tenderizer in a marinade, or good in a salad dressing.
 
 
WAYS TO USE SAUERKRAUT

Whether you make it or buy it, use it with.

 
 
WHERE TO BUY CLEVELAND KRAUT

Ready to dig in?

Shop online at ClevelandKraut.com, or if you’re in the Cleveland area, check out the store locator.

*Here’s more on yogurt, kefir, buttermilk, brined olives and other foods that are probiotic.

†The company named this spicy flavor Gnar Gnar for gnarly, a word the Urban Dictionary defines as “beyond radical, beyond extreme.” Cleveland Kraut calls it Cleveland’s answer to kimchi.

Fall reminds us of polenta, a comfort food from Italy, served hot. (It’s comforting like mashed potatoes.)

Polenta is cornmeal (photo #1) that is often boiled served as breakfast porridge (here’s the difference between grits and polenta).

Its versatility allows it to be incorporated into mains and sides for lunch and dinner.

You can also slice it and use it as a base for appetizers or hors d’oeuvre.

That’s because when polenta cools, it solidifies into a loaf (photo #2) that can sliced and baked, fried, or grilled.
 
 
WHAT IS POLENTA?

Polenta—which is both the Italian word for cornmeal and a cooked dish made from it—has become familiar in America through Italian and Continental restaurants.

But it’s not new to America.

For the first two centuries on the continent, American diets contained much cornmeal: in bread, as breakfast porridge, as a side starch, and in other recipes.

Paradoxically, corn, which is native to the Americas, was shipped to Europe, where Italians turned it into polenta.

Back in the Americas, except for the Southern region, cornmeal was gradually replaced in American diets by refined wheat flour (note that milled polenta is not a whole grain).
 
Is Polenta Gluten Free?

Polenta is naturally gluten-free (the only grains that do naturally contain gluten are barley, rye and wheat).

Since so many other grains are processed in facilities that also handle these latter grains, however, some varieties of polenta may become contaminated with trace amounts of gluten.

Some brands of polenta print “gluten-free” directly onto their product labels for easy identification. Others don’t.

To be certain, check the label carefully for allergy information or a statement such as, “Produced in a facility that also handles wheat, rye or barley.”

Such a statement doesn’t mean cross-contamination has occurred, but it does increase the likelihood.
 
Polenta Nutrition

For most of history, polenta was grains of ground cornmeal that were stirred into boiling water until the grains plumped into a cooked cereal.

But with the advance of milling methods, it became more efficient to process the cornmeal.

While corn itself is a whole grain, polenta is refined: It is degerminated cornmeal, which has the germ and endosperm—(which contain the fiber and other nutrition—removed.

As with all refined grains, including white rice, the majority of the grains we consume have left their protein, iron and vitamins on the factory floor.

You can make polenta from scratch, or buy it in rolls, available in most supermarkets (photo #2).

The latter makes it easy to create stacked appetizers and sides. It’s available in plain plus flavors such as basil-garlic and sundried tomato.
 
We have to add a note here, that while we regularly buy all three, the flavor impact of the basil and the sundried tomato versions is not truly discernable. Note to Ancient Harvest: Add more flavor!
 
 
HOW TO SERVE POLENTA

The only limit is your creativity.
 
While it pairs delightfully with meat, poultry and seafood, polenta is a great canvas for vegetarian and vegan dishes. Try it for your next Meatless Monday.

In addition to breakfast polenta—both as porridge and fried and served with eggs, we regularly serve it:

 
 
POLENTA RECIPES

 
 
SWEET POLENTA RECIPES

[1] Organic yellow polenta made from heirloom corn, from Anson Mills. The company also sells white polenta from heirloom white corn (photo © Anson Mills).

[2] Polenta Kabobs made with refrigerator-case polenta. Here’s the recipe from Ancient Harvest (photo © Ancient Harvest).

[3] Polenta for breakfast or brunch, in a beautiful bowl with eggs, vegetables and cheese (the polenta is hiding underneath the toppings). Here’s the recipe from DeLallo (photo © DeLallo).

[4] Polenta Mushroom Casserole for lunch or dinner. Here’s the recipe from Oh My Veggies. (photo © Oh My Veggies.

[5] Polenta appetizer with beets. Here’s the recipe from Blue Diamond (photo © Blue Diamond).

[6] Ready for dessert? Here’s the recipe for this Blueberry Polenta Cake (photo © The Blueberry Council).