Gnocchi Quatro Fromaggio
Ingredients
The Gnocchi
- 3 large Idaho potatoes, baked, peeled and riced
- 3 tbsp ground aged Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, beaten
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp ground white pepper
- Up to 3 and1/2 cups AP flour…depending on time of year and altitude you might use 2 and ¾ cups… but the dough will tell you, don’t worry
The Sauce
- 3 tbsp shallots, minced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 pinch hot chile flakes
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup grated aged Parmesan
- 1 cup nice ripe imported Gorgonzola
- 1 cup Fontina D’aosta, grated on larger holes of a box grater
- 1 cup caprino fresco (fresh goat’s milk cheese, typically just 3-5 days old. A young smooth creamy chevre is a very fine nearly identical replacement for caprino
- Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper to season
Instructions
The Gnocchi
Place the riced potatoes while still warm in a large mixing bowl. Add the cheese, egg, salt, pepper and 2 and 1/2 cups of the flour. Immediately begin stirring vigorously while holding two or 3 forks in your fingers, using the tines as mixing instruments.
When the mixture has begun to coalesce into thick pieces of shredded dough, begin forming with your hands. If the mixture feels ‘wet’ or sticky add more flour a little at a time.
When the dough is no longer ‘sticky’ turn out, in one lump, onto a floured work surface and let rest for 5 minutes under a slightly damp cloth
Cut dough into 5-6 pieces with a bench knife. Roll out each piece into a long ‘hot dog’ shape. Cut to size. Roll on a gnocchi paddle or across a fork to make the indentations that are important for holding sauce on the dumplings.
Boil in rapidly moving well-salted water or freeze.
The Sauce
Heat the butter in a 4-quart pot over low heat, add the minced shallots, nutmeg and chile flakes, cook for several minutes until the shallots are glassy. Add the cream and heat until you see steam but no simmering. Lower heat to maintain the lightest simmer possible. Add the cheeses one at time, whisking until they are incorporated into the sauce… if it’s too thick, drizzle in a little milk. Raise heat to a light/medium simmer and using a small hand mixer or immersion wand, give it a quick buzz.
Keep hot and use with the gnocchi passing parmesan at the table. Refrigerate any leftover sauce, it reheats well.
