When you think of gnocchi, you think of potatoes, right? That was what I thought of first. Only one of these recipes used potatoes.
It's funny, when you do a hands on class at the Chopping Block, everything is laid out for you and prepped as much as possible. The chefs also clean up after us. Wish I could hire a couple and bring them home with me.
Potato Gnocchi with Zucchini, Tomatoes and Basil
1 pound russet potatoes
1/2 C. plus 2 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 egg
1 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
For the sauce:
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 medium zucchini, cut into medium dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2 tbsp. fresh basil, leaves torn
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Pierce the potatoes in several places with a fork. Bake on a parchment lined sheet tray until tender, about 1 hour. Let stand until just cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.
Peel the potatoes and press them through a ricer or a food mill into a large bowl. Add the flour, egg, Parmesan, olive oil, salt and pepper and stir until just blended.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous pinch of salt.
Turn the dough out onto lightly floured surface. Divide into 8 pieces and roll each piece into a rope about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the rope into 1 inch pieces. Place the gnocchi on a lightly floured sheet tray while preparing the sauce.
To prepare the sauce, heat a large nonstick saute pan over medium high heat and add the olive oil. Saute the zucchini until lightly caramelized, 4 to 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium, and add the garlic and tomatoes. Gently saute until the tomatoes are just starting to wilt. Remove from the heat, and stir in the basil and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside while cooking the gnocchi.
Cook the gnocchi in the boiling water until they float to the top, about 2 minutes. Test one to make sure they are cooked through. One thing we learned in class was to make sure the gnocchi are consistent in size so they cook evenly.
Drain well and toss in the pan with the sauce.
Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi with Lemon Herb Butter and Parmesan Cheese
We were sharing a kitchen with another couple so we broke up some of the recipes so that we could get everything done at one time. My job for this recipe was the herb butter. I need to make more compound butters. This one was divine!
Butter:
1 shallot, minced
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, rough chopped
1 tbsp. fresh dill, rough chopped
1 tbsp. lemon zest
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
Salt and black pepper to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper...if you like cayenne, go a pinch and half...ours could have used a little more
Gnocchi:
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 C. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (the dry part is very important)
6oz. whole milk ricotta
1 tbsp. fresh thyme, rough
1/4 C. fresh parsley, rough chopped
3/4 C. Parmesan cheest, finely grated
1 C. all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. nutmeg, freshly ground
Salt and pepper to taste
I/2 C Parmesan, grated for garnish
To prepare the compound butter, mix together the shallot, parsley, dill, lemon zest, butter, salt, black pepper and cayenne. Allow to sit out at room temperature. This butter can be rolled in plastic wrap and kept refrigerated for 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a generous pinch of salt.
Combine the whole egg, yolk, spinach, and ricotta cheese in a large mixing bowl and whisk until completely smooth. Add the thyme, parsley, and Parmesan cheese and fold with a spatula. Do not over mix.
Mix together the flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and then fold into the ricotta mixture until just combined.
Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a log. Divide log into quarters with a pastry cutter or knife. Cover with a dry towel.
Clear excess flour from the work surface. Working with one quarter at a time, roll the dough into long, thin logs, about a 1/2 inch thick.
Use a pastry cutter or knife to cut logs into 1 inch pieces. Dust with flour and place on a sheet tray lined with parchment and dusted with flour. Refrigerate gnocchi until ready to cook.
Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook at a rolling boil for 2 minutes. Check for doneness by removing one piece and cutting in half. The texture should be uniform and cooked through the center. Drain well and transfer to a serving bowl.
Toss the hot gnocchi with just enough to the lemon herb butter to coat. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.
Note: If you're not using all the gnocchi the same day, freeze them in a single layer and then store in a resealable bag in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Don't be intimidated by the many steps in this recipe. The final product is worth it!
The last recipe we did in class was probably my favorite. These gnocchi were similar to when you make cream puffs. Who knew you could make gnocchi that way!
Baked Parisian Gnocchi with Gruyere Cheese and Arugula Salad
For the dough:
1 C. water
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg, freshly ground
2 tbsp butter
1 C. all purpose flour
3 eggs
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese, grated
Gruyere Cheese Bechamel (recipe follows)
For the arugula salad:
4 C baby arugula
2 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
1/4 C. semi sun dried tomatoes, julienned
Lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Bring a large pot of water to a full boil. Add a pinch of salt. We didn't go overboard here because there is plenty of salt in the cheese.
In a small saucepan, combine the water, salt, nutmeg and butter. Bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as the water boils, add the flour all at once and beat the dough with a wooden spoon until it is thick and it comes away from the side of the pan. Cook, stirring to dry out the dough, about 30 seconds. Transfer the dough to a medium size bowl and allow to slightly cool, about 5 minutes.
Using an electric mixer, beat one egg into the dough until incorporated. Beat in the Parmesan cheese and the second egg until blended, then beat in the last egg until the dough is very smooth.
Transfer the dough to a disposable pastry bag; or use a resealable plastic bag, pressing it into one corner. Cut off the tip of the bag; the opening should be about 1/2 inch across.
To cook the gnocchi, carefully hold the bag over the boiling water while pressing out the dough. Use a small, sharp knife or kitchen scissors to cut the dough into 1/2 inch lengths as it drops into the pot.
Cook the gnocchi for about 3 minutes or until they are cooked through.
Using a deep skimmer remove the cooked gnocchi and toss them right into the pot with the Gruyere Cheese Bechamel to coat well.
Pour the gnocchi and sauce into a baking dish, and bake until the gnocchi are golden brown and puffed, about 25 minutes.
While the gnocchi are baking, prepare the arugula salad. Toss together the arugula, pine nuts, semi sun dried tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper.
Serve the salad with the baked gnocchi.
Gruyere Cheese Bechamel
2 tbsp. butter
1 shallot, minced
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
2 tbsp. white wine
1 1/4 C. whole milk
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
3/4 C. Gruyere cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste (don't be stingy here)
Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the butter.
Add the shallot and gently saute until softened, about 2 minutes.
Whisk in flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Deglaze with the wine and whisk in the milk.
Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the sauce is of a coating consistency.
Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the mustard and the Gruyere cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
The final photo is all of our finished product...so yummy.
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