New Cakes - late May 2009

Pasta Class - April, 2009

In late April, a group gathered at the Bakery to work on our pasta making skills. The recipes all came out incredibly delicious and we thank everyone for their good workmanship and great attitude! The standout recipe was the Handmade Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Sauce. Here's the recipe:

Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Sauce

Gnocchi:

Gnocchi Dough:

Kosher Salt

2 pounds Russet Potatoes

6 - 8 Egg Yolks

1 C Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Pepper

2 C Flour

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Spread a layer of kosher salt on a baking sheet and arrange the potatoes on top. This allows the heat of the oven to circulate all around the potatoes. Bake until a bit over cooked, about 1 hour. Let sit until cool enough to handle, cut in ½, and scoop out the flesh.

Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer or sieve. Alternatively, grate them on the large holes of a box grater. You should have about 4 C. In a large bowl, whisk together 6 of the yolks, the cheese and spices. Add the potatoes and mix well. Sprinkle 1 C of the flour over the potatoes and, using your knuckles, press it into the potatoes. Fold the mass over on itself and press down again. Sprinkle on more flour, little by little, folding and pressing the dough until it just holds together.

If the mixture is too dry, add another egg yolk or water. The dough should give under slight pressure. It will feel firm but yielding. To test the dough consistency, roll out a piece of dough into a ½” thick rope. If it holds together, it is ready. If not, add more flour, fold and press then test again.

Keep your work surface lightly floured. Cut the dough into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope, about ½” diameter. Cut into ½” long pieces and lightly flour the gnocchi as you cut them.

To give them their characteristic shape, roll the pieces against the back of a fork. Take each piece and squish it lightly with your thumb against the board while simultaneously pushing it away from you. These grooves hold the sauce and help the gnocchi cook faster.

As you shape the gnocchi, dust them lightly with flour and scatter them on baking sheets lined with parchment. Cover with a kitchen towel and set-aside until ready to cook, up to several hours. When ready to cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Drop in the gnocchi and cook for about 90 seconds from the time they rise to the surface. Remove the cooked pieces with a skimmer, shake off the excess water and serve with the sauce.

Sauce:

½ C chicken stock

½ C heavy cream

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

Black pepper & salt

4 oz Gorgonzola

1 C grated Parmesan

1. Bring the stock, cream and butter to a boil in a skillet over medium heat. Season lightly with salt and pepper and boil until the sauce is lightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the gorgonzola until dissolved.

2. Boil the gnocchi until it floats. Strain the gnocchi out of the boiling water and add directly to the sauce in the skillet.

3. Bring the sauce and gnocchi to a boil, stirring gently to coat the dumplings with sauce. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Check the seasoning, adding salt if necessary. Serve immediately in warm bowls.