Gluten free Gnocchi

Once upon a time in Santa Rosa, CA at my one of my favorite little eatery’s, (Mary's Pizzza), I discovered something so tasty, so good....

I had to order it everywhere just to geta comaprisoon. And of course I had to order it in Tuscany too.

If you don’t know gnocchi is is a small dumpling. My favorite is made with potato and Parmesan cheese.

Mary’s by the way is also where i discovered celery and black pepper in the ragu.

Well, there days dairy and wheat flour really shouldn’t be in my pantry, so I am testing the gluten free version today.

I use regular russet potatoes, although I think Yukon would also make good gnocchi. It would be creamier I think.
4 russet potatoes about 1 2/pound
I used 2 cups all purpose gluten free flour
1/4 cup Dairy free Parmesan cheese, made from cashew nuts (see minimalist baker blog)
An egg, (for a vegan version use 1/4 cup  canned chickpea water.
1 tsp. Sea salt
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp Pepper and
2 tsp of a good Italian seasonings blend.
1/4 cup virgin olive oil

The baked part kind of reminds me of duchess potatoes. Tradioanl gnocchi is boiled after the dumplings are formed.
If you think it’s time conssumming, don’t worry, ‘it’s not.

Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut into pieces and add to a large pot of boiling water. Cut until tender, and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients including the “cheese”.
When the potatoes are cool enough to work with, mash and add the olive oil.
Mix into he flour mixture. Use your hands. To knead in the bowl until all the flour a
Has pulled away from the bowl. Continue kneading for another 5 minutes.
Halve the dough in have. You can wrap the second piece in foil and freeze for another time.
Make 1/2 inch dough balls. Use a fork to decorate, if you like.
Spray a lined baking dish with a little oil or cooking spray.
Bake for 20 minutes. Flip and bake another five. They should be golden brown.
Serve with your favorite sauce, or add to soup.

Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Cheese Sauce

Sometimes you, just want a  taste of something different, or you want something that reminds you of a place.
This dish does it for me. Gnocchi  in a gorgonzola cheese sauce is very popular in Northern Italy.

Ingredients

1 pound baking potatoes, washed
Oil
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 large egg
1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 cup water
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound gorgonzola cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Season the potatoes with the oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake until tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Peel the potatoes, discarding the skin, and place in a bowl. With a hand potato masher, mash the potatoes until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Add the egg and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the flour. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup flour on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Turn the dough onto the floured surface and roll into a log, about 1-inch thick. Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces. Roll each piece across the tines of a fork. In a large saucepan, combine the milk, water, 1 teaspoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Bring the liquid just to a boil. Add the gnocchi and poach for 5 minutes. Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and drain. Place the cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Whisk in the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Toss the gnocchi with the cream sauce. Spoon onto a large serving platter. Garnish with black pepper.




Recipe from Emeril