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Potato Gnocchi with Asparagus Sauce

Source of Recipe

Shanny


Recipe Introduction

Here's a dish I like enough to take the trouble to make it

List of Ingredients

GNOCCHI:
3 large or 4 medium baking potatoes
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
SAUCE:
1/2 pound asparagus, cut in 1/2" pieces
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
3-4 oz.diced prosciutto or 6-8 oz. diced smoked ham
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt & pepper to taste
dash of tabasco
1 - 2 tbsp. butter
1/2 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Recipe

Gnocchi:
Scrub, grease and bake potatoes at 350F until tender, about 1 hour. Peel immediately and mash or rice into a large bowl, adding the salt. While still warm, begin adding (mixing with your hands) 1½ cups of flour, 1/2 cup at a time, just until it sticks together in a rough dough. Remove the dough to a countertop or large cutting board and continue kneading until smooth, adding only as much of the remaining flour as is necessary to keep it from sticking.

Divide dough into small bunches and roll them into thin ropes, about 1/2 inch thick; then cut the ropes into 1 inch pieces. These little “pillows” can now be cooked as is, or you may wish to shape them more to make more surface for sauce to stick to. To shape them, dip a fork in flour (each time) and mash tine marks into each pillow. Place on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for one hour. Bring a large pot of water to a boil - cook the gnocchi in batches of about 50-60 at once. At first they will sink; when they rise to the top, allow to cook about 1 minute before scooping out with a slotted spoon and placing in a warm bowl, or else right into the sauce, if you have it ready.

Sauce:
Blanche asparagus until tender, but firm to the bite - set aside. Warm oil in a large skillet, add mushrooms and cook until golden. Add meat and stir until warm. Add cream, broth and seasonings. Bring to boiling, add asparagus, reduce heat and simmer about 4-5 minutes. Add gnocchi and heat through. When ready to serve, toss with butter and 1/2 cup Parmesan. If sauce is too thick, add some of the gnocchi cooking water. Serve with additional grated Parmesan on the side, if desired.

This is a recipe that’s even better the next day.