Remember 11 months ago when I wrote this earnest and emotional post about my parents leaving our home of seventeen years? Well, a month ago, it finally happened.

When it happened, it wasn’t a calm, sentimental day or two of loading up the truck. It was the long weekend from hell. There was yelling and crying and swearing. Swearing with curses. Swearing to never buy another material good again, because do you know how hard it is to pack up seventeen years (at least) worth of things? It feels impossible.

When all was mostly said and done, I drove off back to Brooklyn with my little dog and a Mini Cooper filled with  odds and ends, both from my room and from the kitchen cabinets. I had acquired several different types of flour, some sausage, three cans of chickpeas, grapefruit juice, and a bunch of other non-perishables that have since been absorbed into my pantry. The combination of self-pity for losing my home and the overwhelming jumble of pantry items I hauled in led me to plan a Sunday night dinner at my place.

Somewhere on the Internet (I can’t remember where, but let’s face it – it was probably here), I found this recipe for “Parisienne gnocchi.” I’m not new to pâte à choux (a pre-cooked dough), which is what “Parisienne gnocchi” is a savory version of. My grandfather taught me to make cream puffs years ago, and I’ve made cheese puffs of my own volition two or three times. It’s a fun dough to make and easy, too…usually. Plus, I had extra flour to burn.

I decided this would make a fine low-key Sunday night dinner. Besides a few ingredients, like fresh herbs, you can make this with pantry and freezer staples. I almost always have peas and sausage in my freezer. (Nevermind that I had actually run out of peas and had to ask my friend to pick some up on her way over.) It seems like a relatively quick meal to prepare, especially if you make the dough earlier in the day. However, when you start making grapefruit margaritas before you really start cooking…things may get a little sloppy.

Full disclosure: I can’t remember exactly how I made this due to said margs and the welcome distraction of having friends over. But figuring it all out next time is just a fun challenge, right?! Also…in case you didn’t notice, the gnocchi lost their shape completely when I pan-fried them. I have a feeling if I let them boil a little longer, that wouldn’t happen. But if you try this and have better results, give me a holler! Either way, we all thought it was delicious. A mushy bowl of yum.

Though the dish wasn’t as beautiful as I was hoping, a Sunday night dinner spent with friends and any sort of meal is good for the soul. I miss you, Nettleclub, but like I alluded to 11 months ago, home (cooking) is where the heart is.

(Maybe Mushy) Parisienne Gnocchi with Sausage and Peas

drunkenly adapted from Lady&Pups

Serves: 4-6 good friends

Ingredients:

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Come to think of it, the gnocchis may have been mushy because I made 1.5x the recipe and I always find halving a recipe (especially with eggs) so tricky. And I left out the dairy (except butter) for a friend…I’m gonna say just go do what Mandy tells you to do on Lady&Pups for this one. Customize add-ins as you see fit, but maybe follow the directions for the gnocchi.

For grapefruit margs, go see Ina.