Crispy Gnocchi with Creamy Kale Sauce

Emma Schafler • May 23, 2023

Crispy Gnocchi with Caramelized Mushrooms, Fior Di Latte and Creamy Kale Sauce

Gnocchi has always been one of my all time favourite dishes. The little pillows of potato paired with delectable sauces is just something magical. I recently started pan frying gnocchi and this has been a game changer! If you have never had crispy gnocchi, this recipe is for you.

There are few components to this dish that come together fairly easily. There are the gnocchi themselves, the creamy kale sauce and the caramelized mushrooms. Then it is all about assembly. Let's start with the kale sauce. I like to use curly kale for this dish. Simply blanch the kale in boiling water until bright green. Then transfer it to an ice bath to preserve the bright colour and flavour. The kale is then blended with heavy cream in a high speed blender until you are left with a bright green creamy sauce. Then on to the mushrooms. You can really use whatever type of mushrooms you have on hand. I love cremini mushrooms because I think they have slightly more flavour than button mushrooms. Saute them in butter and olive oil with loads of garlic until golden brown. The final component is the gnocchi. You are going to cook the gnocchi in boiling water, dry it on a paper towel and then pan fry it in some butter until golden brown. Simply combine the gnocchi with the mushrooms and the creamy sauce and add the cheese. Adding pasta water as needed, heat the dish over medium until the cheese is gooey and the sauce perfectly coats each little gnocchi. Serve with pecorino romano and a simple side salad. As a little extra touch I love topping my gnocchi with crispy kale chips.

Serves: 2 people as a main dish or 4 people as a side dish

Total Time: 45 minutes


INGREDIENTS:


1 package of gnocchi (500g)

1 small bunch of curly kale (about two loosely packed cups)

1 cup of heavy cream

1/4 cup pecorino romano

1 8 oz package of sliced cremini mushrooms

2 tablespoons of butter, divided

2 cloves of garlic, minced

About 150g of Fior Di Latte, torn (half of a large ball of cheese or 4-5 small balls)

Salt and pepper to taste


INSTRUCTIONS:


Boil a medium pot of water and blanch the kalefor about 2 minutes or until bright green. Transfer the kale to an ice bath. In a high speed blender combine the cream, kale, pecorino and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook your gnocchi in boiling water until they begin to float. Remove the gnocchi from the water and place on a paper towel to dry. Reserve about a cup of pasta water.

In a large skillet add 1 tablespoon of butter and add the gnocchi. Cook until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside. In the same pan add another tablespoon of butter and cook the mushrooms until golden brown. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant. About 2 minutes.

Add the creamy kale sauce to the mushrooms along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine and simmer on medium heat for about 2 - 4 minutes until the sauce has started to thicken. Add the gnocchi and fior di latte and stir to combine. Add some of the pasta water to thin the sauce if needed and simmer until the cheese is melted and the sauce has thickened. The pasta water helps to create a glossy sauce.

Add fresh Pecorino Romano, more salt and pepper to taste and serve!

For a fun topping, I love adding kale chips. Simply toss the leaves in some olive oil, salt and pepper and bake at 400 for 10 minutes or until crispy.


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