Potato Gnocchi, being cheap to make and filling, was a staple in our house growing up. It’s also beautifully simple to make which meant they were an ideal way for Mum to introduce me to the wonders of cooking. Given their hearty and satisfying nature they are perfect for cold weather. luckily, the weather in the UK being what it is, this means (except for our 3-week summer once a year) that Gnocchi can be enjoyed almost year round. A variation with a light cream sauce, lemon zest and peas is perfect on a crisp spring afternoon while a brown butter and sage sauce with diced roasted butternut squash makes an incredible autumnal option. A classic rich tomato sauce pairs perfectly with pink noses and cold fingers on a chilly winter night, but this baked cheese variety is my favourite by far for sheer decadence after a long day walking around Christmas markets.
Start with a basic Gnocci dough, about 500g should comfortably feed a hungry family of 4 (feel free to scale quantities for your needs/appetites)
You’ll also need:
- 4 Cloves of crushed Garlic (if you don’t have a garlic crusher just grate the cloves on a microplane, no need to peel them first)
- 2tbsp butter
- 2tbsp flour (any will do, wholemeal will produce a nuttier, more filling sauce)
- 150ml veg or chicken stock (either is fine)
- 80ml double cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- 50g mozzarella (low moisture, grated)
- 50g parmesan
- 40g mature cheddar
First, melt your butter and add your flour to make a paste. Slowly add your stock, each time whisking until completely combined before adding more. Then add your cheese (reserving a little of each for the top, it’s just not the same without that crunchy, cheesy crust). once this has melted in, stir in your cream and season to taste (it’s important to season at the end because the cheese is salty, so it prevents accidentally over-salting your dish, which was basically punishable by death in my house growing up). Boil your Gnocchi just until they float to the top of the pan, about 3 minutes, give or take. Optionally you can then fry them off in a little butter to up the crunch factor and add nutty undertones of brown butter, but if you’re impatient like me go ahead and chuck them all into your sauce. One last (gentle, so you don’t end up with cheesy mash) stir, pop it all into an over safe dish, top with the reserved cheese and pop into a hot oven at 200C until the cheese on top is melty and brown (and preferably just a touch burnt) and try not to burn the top of your mouth as you shovel it in at light speed. Maybe finish with a little nap, you’ve earned it.
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