Amiamo lo Gnocchi!

After a disappointing lunch, we hit the jackpot on dinner!  Gnocchi (pronounced Noh-Kee) is an small Italian potato dumpling that is surprisingly tasty!  It's like the marriage of mashed potatoes and southern dumplings and can be used in many ways.  I, being a big fan of potatoes and dumplings, was a little leery until I tried the little buggers, and I must say that I really, really liked them!!  A starch-lover's dream! The recipe we made tonight included a mushroom and pancetta sauce, which was equally delicious and would be very good over any type of pasta.  


The recipe was a bit daunting because the white wine sauce and the vegetable broth for the white wine sauce had to be made, but as I said in my earlier post, these can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen until you are ready to use them.  Had they been pre-made, this recipe would have been a quick one.  The wine sauce is a good base sauce for the imagination.  This is definitely one meal we will surely make again!


Gnocchi 

1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut

3 egg yolks, beaten

3/4 cups gluten-free flour, plus extra for dusting

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Place potatoes in pot and cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover.  Simmer 15-20 minutes until tender.  When cooked, drain and mash.  Season slightly with salt and pepper.  Beat in the eggs and flour gradually until a sticky dough forms.  Knead dough and work into a ball using flour to dust.  Split dough into fourths and work each fourth into a long snake about 1/2 inch wide.  Cut dough into 1/2 inch pieces, then use the back of a fork to make grooves across each one.

Fill a large pan with water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium.  Take your first set of gnocci and drop into hot water.  After they rise to the top, let them cook 1-2 minutes.  Remove.  Repeat until all dough has been cooked.

Mushroom and Pancetta Sauce

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
12 oz. pancetta, chopped
3 cups sliced mushrooms
white wine sauce (see earlier post)
sea salt

fresh ground black pepper


Heat the oil in a skillet and add onion.  Cook 3-4 minutes until onion is tender.  Add garlic and pancetta.  Cook an additional 3-4 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat white wine sauce in a saucepan over low heat until almost boiling.  Stir in the pancetta mixture and season with salt and pepper.  Pour the hot sauce over the gnocci and serve.    Delizioso!