(Mmm, prepped by Alex “Big Al” Tuller for the Sept 7 Podcast)
This is a very Hudson Valley dish. We have great local dairy and terrific potatoes. The Rhinebeck Farmers market will have lots of what you need for this dish. Timing is important in the final preparation of this dish.
1 pound boiling potatoes
1 3/4 cups unbleached flour (approximately)
Boil or steam the potatoes with skins on, avoid puncturing them too much, you do not want to add water into the potato. Skin them when hot and press them through a sieve. Then work the flour into them, kneading the dough and roll out into approximately 1/2†wide cylinder(s). Cut the into 1†pieces. Dust with flour, then very gently press down the back of each with a fork to create a ridged pattern. This important for sauce adhesiveness. Cook in large pot with salted boiling water until done, ,between 4-8 minutes. Check for doneness starting at 4 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon, draining well, to warmed platter.
Gorgonzola Sauce
1/4 lb gorgonzola
1/3 cup milk
3 TBS butter
Salt
1/2 c heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup fresh parmesan
Add the gorgonzola, milk, butter and a little salt and cook over low heat. Stir, mashing the cheese with the back of the spoon to help it mix with the milk and butter. Cook until dense and creamy. Remove from heat.
When the pasta is nearly ready, add the cream and stir over medium heat until partly reduced. Toss very gently with gnocchi and add parmesan and again gently toss.
Warning: Gnocchi may dissolve in the water. Could be the potato consistency so next time use the beginner’s method of adding an egg to the dough mix. This produced a heavier gnocchi, but it binds them well and they will not disappear in the boiling water.
Thank you to the wonderful cookbooks The Art of Eating Well and The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking.