I recently bought a new cookbook from the editors of Epicurious, which is fabulous because right now, about one out of every 3 recipes is marked for future use. This is pretty rare, because as a fairly picky person, I like to feel inspired before trying something new. And I am definitely inspired.

The best part? It was on clearance. Talk about value!

Why do I tell you this? Not because I want you to buy anything (but if you are in the market for a new cookbook you could certainly consider this one). Mainly because the following (and very delicious) recipe is straight from the spring section.

Lemon gnocchi with peas and spinach.

Sounds so fresh and vibrant, perfect for spring. Plus it takes less than half an hour from start to finish to put together. Super fast and tasty? Sign me up.

Start by boiling water for the gnocchi and grab all of the rest of your ingredients.

While this heats, pour heavy cream into a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add peas, red pepper flakes, garlic and salt, then simmer for about 5 minutes.

Throw a good amount of salt into the boiling water and dump the gnocchi in to cook for 3- 5 minutes.

Add the spinach to the sauce and cook until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and zest.

Drain the gnocchi, reserving a small amount of pasta water in case you want to thin the sauce.

Toss the gnocchi with the sauce and garnish with parmesan cheese.

With that, dinner is served. Enjoy!

Lemon Gnocchi with Peas and Spinach

By The Epicurious Cookbook
Published 2012

Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen baby peas
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 small bag of baby spinach (3-5 oz)
• Zest from 1 lemon
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 pound dried gnocchi
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. In a medium sauce pan, boil water for gnocchi.
2. In a 10 inch skillet, simmer peas, red pepper flakes, garlic and salt in heavy cream for about 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook over low-medium heat for 2 minutes or just until wilted. Add the lemon juice and zest and remove from heat.
3. While making the sauce, cook the gnocchi according to the package directions.
4. Drain the gnocchi, reserving 1/2 cup of the water.
5. Toss the gnocchi with the sauce, adding pasta water to thin the sauce if necessary. Top with parmesan cheese and serve.

Yield: 4 servings