Spread the ricotta over some paper towels, and let it rest for 20 minutes or so, to get some of the water out.
While that's going on, shell some peas. Shock and blanch some asparagus, while you're at it. Yes, I'm being fancy and using purple asparagus. It was on sale. Don't dump out the water just yet.
You know, since we're waiting, it turns out baby artichoke was on sale, too. Let's fry those puppies up. Peel off the dark green leaves, trim and peel the stem, then quarter and put into a bowl of lemon water, so they don't get brown.
Dry them off, heat some oil, let 'er rip. Remove them to a rack to cool/shed excess oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Squeeze some lemon juice over top and --- Yeah, these never made it to the table.
Anyway, the ricotta is ready to go, so get it in the processor with parmesan cheese and an egg. Beat until smooth, then add some flour and pepper, then beat again. Scoop all that stuff out, and put it in either a pastry bag, or a ziploc bag.
Dry off the asparagus, and slice it on a bias into bite-size pieces. You'll also want shallot, garlic, and mushrooms. I'm using Hen of the Woods (also known as Maitake).
Get the asparagus water boiling again, and snip off the corner of the bag (or do that piping bag thing -- whatever that is, I dunno). I may have made mine a bit too large. So it goes.
Squeeze out some of the dough, and cut it off into the water. Careful not to splash yourself while doing it. Let them cook 2-3 minutes, until they're floating. Remove to an oiled baking sheet so they don't stick.
In a sauté pan, get the mushrooms going in a bit of olive oil, until they're fragrant. Add the shallot and garlic, sauté for a minute or so, then add the peas and asparagus, and some butter.
When the butter's melted, add the cooked gnocchi to the pan, and let everything warm through. Serve topped with a squeeze of lemon, some parmesan, and cracked black pepper.
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