Introducing My Blog and Semolina Gnocchi Stuffed with Asparagus

Helloooo out there!

Writing the very first post on a new blog is a curious thing. It reminds me of when I used to perform at music festivals as a teenager. You would awkwardly step out onto the stage, blinded by the spotlight, and squint out into the darkness, trying to make out a familiar face in the audience. You couldn't see a thing in that pitch black ocean but you knew people were out there by the rustling of papers and the occasional cough. And so you took a deep breath and began to play. So hello dear mysterious reader, wherever you are, whoever you are, welcome to Kitchen Vignettes on PBS! Please visit often, don't be a stranger, and say hello or leave a comment below. That way I'll know you are indeed out there, even if we can't meet face-to-face.

I'll be blogging here on a weekly basis, sharing stories and recipes from my garden and kitchen. Every few weeks, I'll have a recipe video for you like the one above. I hope you'll join me in this visual celebration of farm-to-table home cooking.

I wanted to start things off with an asparagus recipe, even though those handsome tender spears are so perfect just as they are that it seems somehow wrong to do much of anything to them, other than perhaps sauté them in a little garlic and butter or lightly steam them. But this stuffed baked gnocchi is one exception to my usual minimal treatment of asparagus.

When I was little, the pride and joy of my grandfather's garden was his asparagus patch. I remember him ambling up his garden path beaming with pride, the basketful of asparagus on his arm heralding the beginning of another growing season. I can't think of a better way to celebrate spring than plucking those juicy green shoots right out of the earth. Since I don't have my own asparagus patch yet, I reached out to a nearby friend who gladly harvested a basketful for me.

A few words about this recipe. First of all, you may be thinking this recipe will involve hours of tediously stuffing tiny little potato gnocchi with asparagus. But wait, stop! Don't go anywhere. These gnocchi are not the gnocchi you may already know and love. These guys are actually not made with potatoes at all but with a buttery wheat semolina porridge, similar to polenta. Also known as Gnocchi alla Romana, this type of gnocchi is baked in a casserole dish and then cut into individual servings. And trust me, they are every bit as lovable as the classic potato gnocchi, if not more. They vaguely remind me of the cream of wheat porridge I used to relish for breakfast as a kid. Such a comfort food!

As a one-casserole dish, this is a good one to bring to a dinner party. Served with a salad, it makes a hearty and filling main course, or it can be served as an accompaniment to meat or fish. It's also a great way to get picky eaters to eat their vegetables, if you have any of those in your household.

As a final note, I'm a firm believer in not following a recipe to the letter. I believe a recipe should serve as a general guideline and be adapted to suit individual tastes, budgets, and whatever is seasonal in your area. So please feel free to make this your own: use another kind of cheese if you wish, or stuff this gnocchi with whatever vegetables you like: zucchini, broccoli, or whatever you have on hand. If you're gluten-intolerant, simply substitute the semolina for cornmeal, which makes an equally delicious polenta baked casserole.