Ep. 20 On Thursday's we eat gnocchi

Mentally, I'm in Rome & making my first Pastiera Napoletana for Easter

Apr 18, 2025

Sometimes you just gotta be caterpillar mush for a bit before you get to be a butterfly.

“There are things known and things unknown and in between there are doors”.
— Jim Morrison

The Sheltered State: Chrysalis

The term "chrysalis" can be used metaphorically to describe a state of sheltered development, a time of transition, or a period of being enclosed within a protective covering, whether literal or figurative. For the butterfly, this shell protects the developing butterfly during this vulnerable stage as it transforms from a caterpillar into its adult form.

I thought I was getting pretty good at this ‘being mush-ready to transform’ situation. I’m supposed to be an ‘adult’ already? To my ever expanding understanding, I feel like I must have turned into 15 butterflies by this point, but the world keeps spinning & I keep finding a new waves to learn to ride. It is the Year of the Snake after all, so let’s keep shedding those layers! Heck I’m looking forward to being a lot lighter this next go-around. What a gift we get, the opportunity to live this life with all our feelings and experiences. There’s lots of chaos out there right now. It’s feeling a bit extra potent for me, personally. I used to be able to find the humor in it, but now, I’m really not laughing-so-much. I’m… pensively observing and consciously choosing where to put my energy.

So let’s talk about pasta.

Gnocchi

I recently listened to the latest episode of Milk Street with Christopher Kimball & they had all things Italy + food. Specifically, talked about some Rome spots with culinary guide Arianna Pasquini - which had my brain swooning & my taste buds salivating with visceral memories. She mentioned that Romans eat gnocchi on Thursdays, and this is a widely well known in Rome. Well… I did not know this, and I can’t recall, but I’m sure at some point we had gnocchi, but I doubt it was on a Thursday. Now I know.

I can’t totally recall the last time I made gnocchi, but I do remember the first time I made them. I was in Calabria in the kitchen with my ex-boyfriend’s mother, Coralia. It was July in southern Italy so it was hot, the fan was on and she had the whole set up, proper cucina italiana. I am so forever grateful for that afternoon. “Squeeze a little bit, and let it turn”, “Allora… cosa si gire” she would tell me as I fumbled rolling my potato dumplings across the rigagnocchi (gnocchi board). By the way, you can either roll them up or down, if you’re trying on your own. It’s all about pressure at the right moment. And, flour your rigagnocchi.

Making gnocchi in Calabria Italy — Calabria 2016

BTW: I’ve read (most likely a cooks illustrated) that baking is better than boiling potato for gnocchi because it actually dries out the potato more. But, heck boil away or whatever. You get credit just for trying on this one.

I’ve been really into finding/making recipes with what I have on hand. I happened to have a beautiful bulb of fennel on hand with some beautiful fronds and am all about an experimental pesto. I recently picked up Hetti Lui McKinnon’s 'Tender Heart’ (we talked about this last episode) and made the fennel frond pesto. WINNER! What fun. I love reasons to use the top of vegetables. Truly, simple pleasures.

handmade fresh gnocchi pasta — The joy oh making gnocchi. It's really good to work with your hands. They're connected to your heart.

sheet pan of fresh gnocchi pasta with beagle puppy as a kitchen helper — Completed tray & my friendly kitchen helper

So, I went on to make Hetti’s full recipe for Fennel and Gnocchi Salad with Fennel Frond Pesto. It’s not so much of a salad as it is an actual pasta dish. And, a delish! pasta dish at that. What a beautiful component fennel is in pasta. Or, anything for that matter. I will say perhaps I didn’t follow the full fennel addition to the letter so that would make it less salad-y but, delish none the less. 10/10 recommend.

Hetti Lui McKinnon's Fennel Frond Pesto with Gnocchi

If your attempting, a word of caution: DO NOT OVER WORK YOUR GNOCCHI.

Pastiera Napoletana for Easter

Pastiera Napoletana (Italian Easter Pie) - Marcellina in Cucina

There are so many legends as to how this recipe came into existence, and oh, I do love the symbolism. One reading I found, “ricotta is a gift from the Shepherds that welcomed Jesus at his birth and orange flower water is the sweetness of spring and new life”. Yeah, I’m here for that vibe. There’s also the tale of the mermaid Partenope who blessed the Gulf of Naples as her home and to thank her, there was a feast in her honor and the people of Naples brought the siren seven gifts as symbols. Also, from what I’ve read - we might credit the popularity to the unknown nuns of San Gregorio Armeno who wanted to prepare a cake associating the Christian symbolism within for Easter. There was even one account I read about how the peasants of Naples were starving waiting for a grain ship, they soaked and cooked the grain and made this dish.

So pagan or peasant, Catholic, Christian, Greek or Roman - You prepare the pastiera on Holy Thursday and is then eaten on Easter. Guys, I’m not even Catholic, but I am Italian & I celebrate Easter with Self Realization Fellowship in the spirit of Jesus n’ all the things & I’m so here for all of this.

This Easter (Buona Pasqua, by the way to those who celebrate) I’m planning on making my first Pasteria Napoletana. It’s an extremely traditional Easter Italian dessert that originated in Naples & I’m so excited and also a bit nervous. Every family and pastry shop has their own tradition and recipe. This is all predicated that I can get my hands on some wheat berries or a jar of grano cotto… I guess time will tell, because I think I missed the boat on finding wheat berries to soak.

Get involved in your local community if you can.

I’ve been going to my monthly town council meetings because, well, I care. And, I also am very curious how our local budget is being used. As well as, what groups are active in the community trying to do a whole bunch of goodness, and where I can + have space to be involved. Oh, and I love that because we live by the beach the lifeguards always give us their beach report. That just makes me really happy. That aside, it is now held in a local music academy and what a joy it was to be in their music room with all the kids art on the walls. Sharing because it brought a smile to my face that reminded me of the innocence that lives in all of us. Art people. Just make art.

Children's art on the wall at a town council meeting — My gosh I can only wonder what the actual assignment was!

Pick up trash in your neighborhood & beaches & really, anywhere.

My husband & I did a beach cleanup with the Surfrider Foundation at one of the notoriously ‘cleanest’ beaches in San Diego a few weeks ago. I was *shocked* at how much trash we actually did find. On top of that, did you know that last year alone the Surfrider Foundation & it’s almost 1,000 volunteers removed 113 TONS (225,700 pounds) of trash from our beaches and waterways? It makes you think. A lot. And I think it’s more important now, more than ever. I’ve made the conscious decision now, whenever I’m walking on the beach I always try to keep a bag on me and just pick up what I see. I can’t walk by it anymore. Once you know, you can’t un-know, ya know? Around us, there’s lots of neighborhoods that have doggie bags around and I’ll just grab one of those if I don’t have one on hand.

Please get involved anyway you can?

With SO much going on all at once, heck we’re all overwhelmed on all fronts. It can be a bit overwhelming to even figure out where + what to do. I’ve given myself permission to let it be small. I can easily fall into the trap of thinking I’m just one person, what difference will it make? I’m not out protesting! I’m not proclaiming all over instagram about my beliefs, But it does. Every bit. We are all energetic juju-bee’s buzzing around with our vibes and frequencies. Your thoughts, your intentions, your actions, your reactions — they all matter. Now more than ever, make our communities strong. Stay calm. Connect with each other and find common goals. And if you need to rest, DO THAT. get some water - hydrate. Eat nourishing food. Check in with yourself. You’re no good to anyone if your cup’s not full & no one can do it better than you. You have to take on your own knowing & healing for you, and all our sakes.

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I, like many of you I’m sure are a bit nostalgic these days

Perhaps I’m incorrectly assuming (Ass Out Of ‘U’ and Me), but when the going gets tough, we might yearn for a smoother course. But, I’ll leave you with this from Men Without Heads: