Potato Gnocchi with Wild Mushroom Sugo Recipe

Potato Gnocchi with Wild Mushroom Sugo

• Level: Advanced
• Yield: 4 servings
• Total Time: 2 hr 15 min
• Prep: 30 min
• Inactive: 40 min
• Cook: 1 hr 5 min

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving (Serving Size: 1 of 4 servings)

• Calories: 673
• Total Fat: 31 g
• Saturated Fat: 9 g
• Carbohydrates: 79 g
• Dietary Fiber: 7 g
• Sugar: 5 g
• Protein: 20 g
• Cholesterol: 167 mg
• Sodium: 1053 mg

For the Gnocchi:

• 2 pounds russet potatoes
• Coarse salt
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 to 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (or use store-bought gnocchi: 1 pound fresh or frozen)

For the Sugo:

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups mixed wild mushrooms, finely chopped (about 3/4-pound mushrooms)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 1/2 cup tomato puree (fresh or canned peeled tomato)
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth or water
• 1 generous tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
• Parmesan, for serving

Instructions

For the Gnocchi:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake potatoes until very soft on a bed of coarse salt in a baking dish, about 45 minutes. (The salt keeps the potatoes from touching the dish and developing a hard spot.) Cool potatoes until warm, then halve lengthwise and scoop out the flesh. Pass the flesh through a food mill or ricer, or push it through a coarse sieve. You should have about 4 cups.
2. In a bowl, combine potato, egg yolks, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Work the mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add 1 cup of the flour and knead very gently, patting and pressing the dough with your hands until all the flour is incorporated. Add some or all of the additional 1/4 cup flour if the dough feels too moist; it should be soft but shouldn't stick to your hands. Transfer dough to a work surface and roll into a log about 3 inches in diameter. Cut the log into 8 equal pieces.
3. Give each piece a quarter-turn so that you are rolling the dough in a different direction, then roll into ropes, a generous 1/2-inch in diameter, as if making breadsticks. Flour the ropes generously, and then cut crosswise at 1/2-inch intervals. You can shape the gnocchi on a ridged butter paddle or on the back of a fork, or you can cook them as is. Let them dry at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before cooking.

For the Sugo:

1. Heat a large saut pan over high heat. When hot, add oil, and then sprinkle in the mushrooms. Don't stir! Let the mushrooms sizzle and caramelize for 7 to 8 minutes. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute to release its fragrance. Add the rosemary and shallot and cook for about a minute to release their fragrance, then add tomato puree and red wine and simmer until almost evaporated. Add the broth or water. Simmer until slightly reduced, 4 to 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Sprinkle with the parsley and keep warm.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi. They are usually done about 2 minutes after they float to the surface, but test one to be sure. Lift them out with a skimmer and transfer to a large platter. Pour the warm sauce over the gnocchi. Grate Parmesan over the top and serve immediately.