Serves 4 first courses or 2 main courses

1/2 pound carrots
1 teaspoon finely chopped onion
3 teaspoons butter
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
3 teaspoons flour
1 large egg yolk
salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste
3 teaspoons chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Peel and slice carrots. Boil until tender. Drain.
In a medium skillet, cook the onion in 1 tablespoon butter, over moderate heat, stirring until pale gold. Add carrots, and cook for 5 minutes while stirring occasionally. Transfer the carrots to a food processor, and puree until smooth.
Transfer the puree to a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of the cheese, the flour and egg yolk, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg; mix well.
Bring a wide shallow saucepan of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Prepare a bowl of ice cold water.
Shape the carrot mixture into ovals, using two soup spoons, scooping a portion between the spoons.
Slide 4 of the gnocchi at the time into the boiling water and cook just until they rise to the surface, about a minute or less.
When the gnocchi are done, transfer to the cold water. Lightly butter a baking dish large enough to hold the gnocchi in a layer without crowding. Drain the gnocchi and arrange them in the prepared baking baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and butter.
Bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chives and serve at once.