Gnocchi with Mushroom Sauce
Who doesn’t love dumplings? Who doesn’t love creamy potatoes? About a year ago I visited Italy. While there I had mounds of pasta, pizza, fresh cheeses, tomatoes and seafood. One of the most memorable dishes I had was in Rome where I sampled some deliciously tender, creamy potato gnocchi. I’ve never attempted to make them at home. I’ve only had it in restaurants. So I came up with my version of Gnocchi with Mushroom Sauce.
It’s a humble dish that Italian Mamas have been making for hundreds of years. Three ingredients: potato, eggs and flour. While it sounds simple…getting the correct texture is NOT.
Three ingredients: russet potato, eggs and flour. I used my husband’s grandmother’s ricer which is probably older than I am. Only use baking/russet potatoes. Red and yellow waxy potatoes will not give you the correct texture.
I thought I’d start my learning by researching recipes in books and online. The ratio of potato to flour to egg seemed different in every recipe I reviewed. There’s also lots of opinions on whether the potatoes should be baked or boiled. I baked mine to keep the potato mixture dry. Whether you should use whole eggs or only egg yolks. I used whole eggs. Whether you should bother to form the dough pieces by using a little wooden board that imprints tiny lines or do like the Italian Grandmothers do…use the tines of a dinner folk. I started with the fork method and then lost focus after about 8 of them and switched to Gordan Ramsey’s method of putting a tiny dent in the middle. All of my research just added to my confusion.
So I took a stab at creating my own recipe. What I ended up with was pretty decent, yet I think the dough was a bit too tender and didn’t have enough flour. I was so cautious about adding too much flour to the dough because every video and recipe I read warned against this. I also handled the dough very gently…in retrospect, maybe too gently. Barely kneading it…much like you do with biscuit dough. If you overwork it, you end up with tough, gluey blobs.
Using the ricer, I sprinkled the potatoes across a lightly floured counter to keep the them dry.
After gently kneading the dough, formed it into a log.
Gently rolled the dough into long ropes and cut using a pastry scraper.
The recipe I made makes enough for 6 servings. Since it was just my husband and me, I froze half of the dumplings on a parchment lined sheet pan. Once firm I tossed them into a zip bag and put back in the freezer for another time.
Laid them out on a large baking sheet lined with parchment…ready to boil.
I made a classic sauce of butter, fresh sage and Parmesan cheese – adding a slight twist with fresh mushrooms and garlic. I’d say they came out pretty well…I mean we ate the entire batch.
The simple ingredients I added to my melted butter for a delicious sauce.
Sauce just waiting for the gnocchi to be added.
Served the gnocchi as a side to roast pork tenderloin and a simple salad.
I’m including a video from Lidia Bastianich making gnocchi. I had it at her restaurant in Kansas City a few years ago and happened upon this while I was researching the dish. For sure I plan to make this again. This is the type of recipe that takes practice and is based on how the dough feels to get it just right. Next time I’ll tinker with my potato, flour and egg ratios until I end up with the perfect texture. Still remembering those amazing little tender pillows of gnocchi goodness I enjoyed while in Rome. Ciao!
Potato Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes baked
- 1.5 - 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- BAKE potatoes 425 degree oven until very tender...about 45 minutes.
- Let potatoes cool slightly and then peel while warm.
- Sprinkle counter with 1/4 cup of flour. Using the potato ricer, rice the warm potatoes over the top of the flour, spreading out so that they stay fairly dry.
- In a small bowl, beat 2 large eggs.
- Pour egg mixture over riced potatoes.
- Sprinkle salt over potatoes.
- Sprinkle 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups flour over top of potato mixture. I use a sieve so that the flour is light and without lumps.
- Use a pastry scraper or fork to slowly incorporate the flour into the potato/egg mixture until you form a soft ball of dough. Mixture will be quite sticky. Keep working the dough gently...adding a bit more flour as you go along. Form dough into a log.
- Cut dough log into 8 pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a rope shape, about the diameter of your thumb. Be very gentle when rolling. Add just a tiny bit of flour to the work surface if needed.
- Use a pastry scraper or butter knife to slice the ropes into 3/4 inch pieces. Repeat until all dough is cut.
- Lay cut pieces of gnocchi onto a large baking sheet lined with lightly floured parchment or wax paper.
- Bring water to a vigorous boil. Gently drop gnocchi into water. When gnochhi begins to float, cook for 1-2 more minutes.
- Gently remove gnocchi from water, draining well before adding to the sauce.
Butter, Sage, Parmesan and Mushroom Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 8-10 leaves fresh sage
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup hot pasta water
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat large deep skillet over medium.
- Add butter.
- Once butter melts add garlic, sliced mushrooms, fresh sage and salt.
- Saute until mushrooms are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Add 1/4 cup of hot pasta water (which the gnocchi are cooking in...or any pot that you're cooking pasta in). The starchy water helps thicken and also loosen the sauce.
- Add grated Parmesan cheese. Stir gently for one minute,.
- When ready add cooked gnocchi or pasta to the skillet. Toss gently. Taste and adjust by adding more salt and cheese.
- Plate your gnocchi and top with additional freshly grated parmesan cheese.
