Hi, friends, and welcome to Five Weeknight Dishes. Margaux Laskey filling in for Em today.
What a roller coaster of week. How are you doing? I’m trying to focus on the bright spots: My kids. My Christmas tree. (Yup, it’s still up.) What’s for dinner. Looking for something to cook has become a delicious daily distraction. I cook a lot from the 19,000-plus recipes on NYT Cooking, but like everyone, I get stuck in a rut sometimes. (Say hello to Melissa Clark’s lemony anchovy chicken for the 732nd time, folks.) This week, I discovered five new-to-me recipes that I’m excited about. Maybe put your phone down and cook one with me? The news isn’t going anywhere.
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Em is back next week. In the meantime, take care of yourselves. Drink more water. Go to bed early. Call your mom. These are wild times.
Generally speaking, I’m not a make-my-own-pasta kind of gal, but this super simple ricotta gnocchi from Mark Bittman has me reconsidering. Basically a rough dumpling made with ricotta, flour, egg and Parmesan, they aren’t the prettiest things you’ve ever seen, but they’re tender and perfect. I served mine with browned butter, fresh basil leaves and burst cherry tomatoes. Not exactly seasonal, but that’s what was in my fridge. Everyone loved them.
Butter, garlic, shallots, half-and-half, ground turmeric and Parmesan come together in this earthy pasta from Sue Li, which is like a more interesting version of classic fettuccine Alfredo. I might top mine with some roasted cauliflower or shrimp for a bit more oomph.
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