I'm in a gnocchi state of mind...

The first leaves are starting to turn here in Philly. Even though I'm still harvesting tomatoes out of my little garden plot, autumn is starting to take hold. Another sure sign that the seasons are changing--the menus and recipes we're teaching at work. The grill pans are getting used less and less in class and instead we're making soups, stews, pies, artisan breads, pasta, gnocchi. Comfort foods, perfect for the cooling weather. 

Gnocchi are a relatively new dish for me. I don't think I'd ever eaten them, and I'd certainly never made them, before we covered them in a class lesson in culinary school. As I recall, I don't think I even laid hands on the gnocchi that day, one of my class teammates was particularly excited and interested in making them that day in the kitchen, so we all deferred to her. Flash forward a couple of years, and I suddenly found myself with a gnocchi class on my teaching schedule--and I had still never actually made them. So, I did some research, studied, and pulled on my general knowledge of doughs, starch, and gluten, and taught the class. As I recall, they turned out pretty good. (Shhhh--don't tell my students!) Gnocchi quickly became one of my favorite topics to teach. 

Gnocchi are an Italian dish, dumplings usually made from potatoes, flour, and eggs. They're peasant food--made from plentiful and inexpensive ingredients, hearty and filling. A well made gnocchi is soft and pillow-like. A poorly made gnocchi is dense, chewy, and can feel like a lead weight in your stomach. They're not hard to make, but there are some specifics parts in the technique that if not followed can directly and negatively affect the final result.

The first step in making gnocchi is to cook the potatoes. It is important that the potatoes are completely cooked, if they're even slightly underdone, they won't mash well and will have a gritty texture. Idaho, Russet and Yukon Gold potatoes are best suited for gnocchi, just like they're the best suited for mashed potatoes. They yield a dry,fluffy texture when cooked. Some recipes will recommend baking the potatoes which will give you a very dry texture. I actually prefer to boil the potatoes, I find that baking can almost dry out the potatoes too much. Just be sure to drain the potatoes very well.

After the potatoes are cooked, they must be mashed, but not with a traditional potato masher. You want to use a potato ricer or a food mill. The potatoes need to be completely broken down while maintaining an airy, fluffy texture. Be careful not to overwork the potatoes, this can cause the natural starches in the potatoes to give a pasty, gummy texture to the dough.

Depending on your recipe, you may or may not add flour to the dough, but I find that adding the flour makes the dough easier to work with. You just have to be careful (again) to not overwork the dough and overdevelop the gluten in the flour. Too much gluten development will cause the gnocchi to be chewy and a little rubbery.

So, make sure to rice your potatoes and use a gentle hand with the dough, and you'll have lovely, fluffy pillows of deliciousness. 

The inspiration for this week's recipe was, I'll admit, a desire to use the mushrooms I had left over from the bisque in last week's post.  I hope you enjoy it!

 

Porcini Gnocchi with Sauteed Mushrooms and Arugula Pesto Cream Sauce

Makes 6 servings

For the gnocchi:

½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms

2 pounds Idaho, russet potatoes, or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 tablespoon Kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

For the arugula pesto:

4 cups baby arugula leaves 

¼ cup toasted slivered almonds

1 clove of garlic, peeled and trimmed
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

For the sauteed mushrooms:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 pound mixed assorted mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster, cremini, stemmed and sliced

½ cup dry white wine

2 cups cream

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

To make the gnocchi: 

Place the porcini mushrooms in a spice grinder and process to a fine powder.

Pass the powder through a fine mesh sieve to sift out any unprocessed bits. Set the powder aside.

Place potato pieces in a large pot and cover with cold water. Heat over medium-high heat and bring to a low boil. When potatoes are tender enough to mash, drain thoroughly in a colander, tossing the potatoes in the colander to remove as much excess moisture as possible. While the potatoes are still hot, process with a potato ricer or food mill into a large bowl. 

Sprinkle the potatoes with the flour, porcini powder, salt and pepper, and gently toss and mix together with a fork. Add the eggs and mix until the eggs are completely incorporated.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently form into a ball. Knead the dough, dusting with flour as needed, until it forms a soft dough. Push your finger about an inch into the dough--if it gently springs back, the dough is done.

Cut the dough into 4 pieces, and roll each piece into a long rope or snake, about ½ inch in diameter.  Cut the rope into  ¾ to 1 inch pieces.

Using a gnocchi paddle or the back of a fork, roll the dumplings with your thumb, forming a slight indentation on the back side of the dumpling and ridges down the front. The ridges and indentation left by your thumb allow the sauce to better cling to the gnocchi. 

Transfer the gnocchi to a lightly floured baking sheet. If you are not planning to cook the gnocchi within about 2 hours, place the baking sheet in the freezer. Gnocchi will get very mushy and lose their integrity if they are not cooked relatively soon after they are formed, and refrigeration doesn't help. Once frozen, they can be removed from the sheet pan and stored in a ziptop bag in the freezer. To cook the frozen gnocchi, don't defrost them, just take them straight from the freezer to the boiling water.

To make the arugula pesto:

Place the arugula, almonds, garlic, and parmesan cheese in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the contents are well chopped, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the ¼ cup olive oil and process until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the pesto to a small bowl.

To make the mushrooms and finish the sauce:

Heat a large skillet over medium to medium high heat. Add the oil and shallots to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the shallots are softened and translucent. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms have softened and released their juices. Add the wine and continue to cook until the liquid has reduced by about half. Add the arugula pesto and cream and mix through. Reduce the heat to a simmer and allow the sauce to thicken. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

To finish the dish:

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water in batches, gently stirring the pot after each addition. The gnocchi will rise to the surface as they cook, usually in about 3 to 4 minutes. 

Allow the gnocchi to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes after they float to the surface, then remove from the water with a slotted spoon and transfer to the skillet with the sauce. Gently toss the gnocchi to coat with the sauce. Serve.