Gnocchi With Basil Butter

This is made with dried basil because another animal stripped my basil plants in my windowbox AGAIN. It was awfully nice of it to leave me the bare stems...

1 ½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 cup flour
1 egg
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
4 quarts water
½ cup butter, cubed
4 tsp fresh thyme leaves, or 1-2 tsp dried basil, or ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped tiny
Grated parmesan, optional

Boil potatoes until tender; drain and return to pan. Stir over very low heat until steam evaporates; mash. Cool slightly.

Using a fork, make a well in the potatoes; sprinkle with flour. Whisk egg, salt and pepper; pour into well. Stir until blended. On a lightly floured surface, knead 10-12 times, forming a soft dough.

Divide dough into 4 portions. On a floured surface, roll each portion into ½-inch thick ropes. Cut into ¾ - inch pieces. Press and roll each piece with a lightly floured fork.

In a Dutch oven, bring water to a boil. Cook gnocchi in batches for 30-60 seconds or until they float (it took mine a little more than a minute.) Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm.

Melt butter. Add thyme or basil and gnocchi; stir gently to coat. Sprinkle with cheese (I also like to sprinkle with the tiniest bit of salt) and serve. Makes 5 servings.