Gnocchi au Gratin

I've definitely been missing New York this summer, chiefly my friends, public transportation (crazy, yes, I miss MTA), and limited-release movies. However, one of the benefits of being at home is having counter space in the kitchen -- and air conditioning. So, I took it upon myself to make some gnocchi last week. Also missing my past summer job as a restaurant reviewer/food photographer, I decided to document the process.

I started off with this recipe, then improvised a bit. It all took about 2.5 hours, but the steps aren't difficult. So, you know, it's cool, just takes a while.

By the way, this isn't a food blog, but I love food. I secretly (well not so secret anymore) aspire to run a food truck someday. More on that another time, maybe, but without further ado, my favorite comfort food:



Gnocchi au Gratin

You'll need:
- 1 pound russet potatoes
- 4 egg yolks 
- 3/4 cup fresh Parmesan
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pinch of coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 
- 1 cup flour
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- seasonings to taste


1. Start off with 1 pound of russet potatoes, about 3 medium sized spuds. Spuds is a strange sounding word. Bake at 425˚ F for about an hour over a thin layer of coarse salt. Then, when the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel the skins off. (I ate them for lunch  along with an English muffin and the egg whites leftover from step 4.)

2. Grate the potatoes until you have about two cups.

3. Transfer potatoes to work surface and form mound with well in center.

4. Add four egg yolks, 1/2 cup fresh Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper to make a nest.

5. Combine, distributing ingredients throughout the mixture.

6.  Little by little, fold 1 cup flour into the potato-egg blend. When well incorporated, cut into four sections. 

7. Roll each section into 1/2 inch diameter ropes on floured surface.

8. Cut ropes into 1/2 inch pieces. If you want, you can put indentations on the top of the gnocchi with a fork to help hold pasta sauce. 

9. Arrange gnocchi on parchment paper in front of fan and let rest for 30 mins, turning gnocchi after 15 mins.

10. Boil a pot of water. Drop gnocchi in.

After the dumplings rise to the top of the pot, cook for 90 additional seconds. Then, scoop them out with a skimmer and remove excess water.

11. Voila!

12. Now for the "au gratin" part. Pour 3/4 cup heavy cream onto the gnocchi. Season with whatever you'd like. I chose a pinch of ginger, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix in 1/4 cup Parmesan, and top with breadcrumbs. Bake for 20-30 mins or until breadcrumbs are golden brown.

13. And there you have it!