Gnocchi Alfredo -- The Kitchen That Smells Like Effort and Love

Grace's fifteenth anniversary. January 14th — this year it fell while Henry was still in the hospital, two newborns at once in our awareness, and I thought about that: the death of one child and the birth of another, both in January, both in the same span of days. Grace died and fifteen years later a grandchild named Henry was born and both things are true and I hold them both.

Gary and I went to the cemetery in the afternoon. Not the morning — the morning was for Henry and Ethan and Mia. The afternoon was for Grace. We brought sunflowers and stood in the January cold and Gary said something I hadn't heard him say before: that he thought about Grace every day. Not just on the anniversary but every day, the way he said he thought about work and the children and dinner — daily, habitually, part of the structure of a life. I said, "Me too." He said, "I knew that." I said, "Do you need to say it out loud sometimes?" He said, "Apparently I do." Fifteen years of daily presence. We've been holding this together for fifteen years. That's the marriage under the marriage. The silent parallel track that has never stopped running.

I cooked that evening. The lasagna, the bread. Henry was asleep at the hospital, healthy and good. Grace was fifteen years gone. Both things were held in the kitchen that smelled like it always smells on this day: like effort and love and the refusal to stop.

When the day holds that much — a baby grandson asleep down the hall at the hospital, a daughter fifteen years gone, a husband who finally said out loud what you both already knew — you cook the thing that fills a kitchen with warmth and purpose. I’ve made lasagna on Grace’s anniversary for years, but this time I turned to something a little simpler, a little softer: Gnocchi Alfredo, pillowy and rich, the kind of dish that asks nothing of you except to keep stirring. It smelled like the same effort and love as always, and that was exactly right.

Gnocchi Alfredo

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb (16 oz) potato gnocchi, store-bought or homemade
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Cook the gnocchi. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook according to package directions, typically 2—3 minutes, until they float to the surface. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.
2. Start the sauce. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1—2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to let it brown.
3. Add the cream. Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 3—4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cream begins to thicken slightly.
4. Incorporate the cheese. Reduce the heat to low. Add the Parmesan cheese a little at a time, stirring constantly until fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.
5. Combine. Add the cooked gnocchi to the skillet and gently toss to coat in the sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water and stir until you reach your desired consistency.
6. Serve. Divide among bowls, top with extra Parmesan and fresh parsley if desired, and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 580 | Protein: 15g | Fat: 38g | Carbs: 46g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 620mg