Ricotta gnocchi with spring peas and herbs

Ingredients

Cut 6 tbsp butter into small pieces and chill in the fridge.
Thinly slice or chop chives/herbs and mince garlic.
Make Ricotta gnocchi and set aside. Reserve 2 cups pasta water.
Set a pot over medium heat and pour in 1/2 cup reserved pasta water. Add green peas and a big pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 3 minutes (or 4-5 if using fresh peas).
Remove lid and bring water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Using spatula, vigorously stir in reserved chilled butter a piece at a time, adding the next piece only after the previous piece is melted. You should have a smooth buttery sauce when you are done.
Add garlic into sauce. Slice lemon in half. Cut 1 half into wedges and set aside for serving. Finely grate zest from remaining half into sauce, then squeeze in its juice. Add black pepper and/or red pepper flakes and mix well to incorporate. Add gnocchi and toss, adding up to 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce clings to and coats gnocchi. Toss in most of the reserved chives or herbs and cook 20 seconds.
Divide gnocchi and sauce among shallow bowls and top with remaining chives or herbs, Parmesan, and pepper or crushed red pepper flakes. Serve with reserved lemon wedges for squeezing over.

2022: Made with Maria. Really tasty, and much easier than potato gnocchi (no need to cook/peel/mash the potatoes, and easier to mix). This sauce would work very well with potato gnocchi instead of ricotta.