Potato Gnocchi in Tuscan Parmesan cream sauce

Little puffy pillows of potato, is what Gnocchi remind me of. An Italian creation, considered pasta, but quite different, are easy and fun to make. And in this creamy, deliciously dreamy Tuscan cream sauce, it is an Italian best!

POTATO GNOCCHI WITH TUSCAN PARMESAN CREAM SAUCE

For the Gnocchi:

1 pound potatoes, Russetts recommended (clean but not skinned)

1 cup flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 medium egg (room temperature) 

Gnocchi Directions:

-In a large pot boil potatoes until tender, remove from the pot and let cool then remove the skins. Pass potatoes through a potato ricer or mash until no lumps remain.

-While still warm add the egg to the potatoes and blend well with a fork. Add the flour and salt then continue to mix until a smooth soft dough is formed, which should not stick to your fingers. If needed, add up to 1/4 cup more flour. Shape into a rough ball and set aside on a lightly floured work surface for 5 - 10 minutes.

-Cut the dough into 4 sections with a scraper. Take one section at a time and shape it into a long thin rope with your hands and rolling on a lightly floured surface. Cut dough rope into ¾ inch (2 cm) pieces, then press each piece lightly on the tines of a fork to create indentation in the dough. With your fingers, roll the dough down the fork, folding over gently. Dip the fork and your fingers in flour before working with each piece of dough. Set each gnocchi aside to rest for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with a little bit of flour and toss, so they don't stick together.

-Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the gnocchi. When the gnocchi float to the top continue cooking 1 minute longer then skim them off of the water with a spider or slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Add a bit of butter to the gnocchi in the bowl and toss so they don’t stick together. When all the gnocchi are cooked add to the prepared sauce, then cook sauce for another minute. gently tossing gnocchi. Serve immediately topped with fresh grated parmesan cheese if desired.  

Tuscan Parmesan Cream Sauce

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

1 brown shallot chopped or 1 small onion

4 cloves garlic minced

1 recipe cooked gnocchi or 1 box prepared gnocchi

½ cup sun dried tomato strips in oil jarred, reserve 2 teaspoons of the jarred oil

½ cup chicken broth

1 ¼ cups heavy cream or half and half

1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

1 pinch salt to taste

1 pinch pepper to taste

1 ½ cups fresh baby spinach

½ cup fried prosciutto or bacon bits

½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil or parsley 

-Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the butter and sauté shallots until transparent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and saute a further 30 seconds.

-Add the sun dried tomatoes and reserved oil. Pour in the chicken broth, cream and Italian herbs, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. If using the already prepared packaged gnocchi, add it at this point.

-Stir in salt and pepper to taste and reduce heat to medium. Cover skillet with lid and let cook for 5 minutes. Add the spinach leaves and cook another minute until spinach is wilted.

-If using the homemade gnocchi, add it at this point along with the, parmesan cheese, prosciutto/bacon and chopped basil. Simmer and stir for about 5 minutes or until gnocchi is well coated and sauce has thickened to your liking. Serve immediately with additional parmesan cheese sprinkled on top and some freshly grated black pepper.

-For a simpler dish, cook gnocchi, toss with 3 tablespoons butter, salt and pepper to taste, parmesan cheese sprinkled on top and garnished with thinly sliced basil and toasted pistachios or pine nuts.

Boil, peel, then mash potatoes well while they are still warm, until there are no lumps.

Add a whole egg to the center of the potatoes and stir to mix well.

Add the flour and salt, then mix with a fork until a smooth dough is created.

Form into a ball and let rest about 5 minutes.

Using a scraper, cut the dough into 4 sections.

Take a pinch of the dough about the size of a large grape, then push it against the tines of a fork to create the charateristic indentations. Flour your fingers and the fork after each one.

Then pressing lightly, roll the dough down the tines of the fork to complete creating the gnocchi shape.

Let formed gnocchis rest about 15 minutes while you bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place gnocchi in boiling water and boil until the gnocchi rise to the surface, then cook them an additional minute or two. Strain from water.

Add cooked gnocchi to the Tuscan cream sauce and cook until sauce is thickened and it adheres to the gnocchi.

Garnish with fried bacon or proscuitto bits and additional parmesan cheese.

A simpler gnocchi dish, with warm gnocchi tossed with 2-3 tablespoons butter, then tossed with basil.

Garnish with parmesan cheese and toasted chopped pistachios or pinenuts, with gratings of fresh black pepper, if desired.

A light, satisfying summer recipe!

PERSNICKETY NOTES:

**If using proscuitto, frying doesn’t work well. Instead, place strips on a sprayed baking sheet and bake at 375 for 4 -5 minutes, until brown and crispy. Then break it up into small pieces.

**You can use either side of the fork to create the indentations in the gnochhi, whatever works best for you. Be sure to dip the fork and fingers in flour each time before rolling as the dough can be quite sticky. You can also purchase a gnocchi board for shaping the gnocchi, if you prefer. If interested Amazon carries them.