Green Gnocchi With Caduta Di Formaggio

Directions

1. 1
   1. Place the potatoes in a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Cook until very tender, 20 to 25 minutes, drain.
2. 2
   2. Meanwhile, place spinach in a deep pot with a lid. Cook over medium, allowing spinach to steam in its own liquid, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the spinach to an ice bath. Drain well, wrap it in a clean dish towel and twist to extract as much liquid as possible. Chop very fine.
3. 3
   3. When the potatoes are cooked enough to handle, peel them. Run through a ricer or food mill. Add the spinach, sprinkle the flour over, make a well, add the egg and kosher salt, and knead to form a dough.
4. 4
   4. Divide the dough into 4 balls, roll each ball into 1 inch thick ropes and cut into 1 inch long pieces. Roll each piece off the tines of a fork to form the classic gnocchi shape. Place on a lightly floured baking sheet and set aside.
5. 5
   5. In a deep pot, add the sea salt to 6 quarts of water and bring to a boil. While the water heats, in a 12 inch saute pan, mash together the Gorgonzola and butter until smooth. Stir in the grappa and simmer over medium heat for 4 minutes. Keep warm.
6. 6
   6. Drop the gnocchi into the boiling water and cook until they float to the surface, about 1 minute. Do this in 2 batches. Drain well, add to the cheese sauce, increasing heat to medium. Toss to coat, add the asiago and chives. Spoon into oven-proof dishes, top with more asiago and finish under the broiler.