
Homemade Potato Gnocchi
with Pancetta, Escargots,
Vegetable Pearls and
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Makes 6 First Course ServingsIngredients
* | FOR THE GNOCCHI: |
* | 8 large Idaho potatoes (11 to 12 ounces each) |
* | 3 egg yolks |
* | 4 cups all-purpose flour (approximately) |
* | Salt |
* | FOR THE SAUCE: |
* | 2 tablespoons butter |
* | 3 tablespoons chopped shallots |
* | 6 tablespoons pancetta, diced and rendered (smoked bacon can be substituted) |
* | 30 small canned escargots, rinsed |
* | 1 large carrot, carved into pearls with an 8-point scoop |
* | 1/2 zucchini, carved into pearls with an 8-point scoop |
* | 1/2 yellow squash, carved into pearls with an 8-point scoop |
* | 4 ounces (1/2 cup) vegetable or chicken stock |
* | 1 pinch fresh rosemary, chopped |
* | 1 pinch fresh thyme, chopped |
* | Salt and pepper |
* | 6 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese |
* | 3 tablespoons finely sliced chives |
* | Chervil pluches for garnish (See Notes) |

Instructions
1 | For the Gnocchi, bake the potatoes in a 400F degree oven until they can be easily pierced with a fork, about 40 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven and peel as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Pass the potatoes through a food mill and spread out in a thin layer on a baking sheet. |
2 | Place pan in a 250F degree oven for 15 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes have dried out. Do not allow them to brown. Remove the potatoes from the oven and let cool. |
3 | Turn the potatoes out onto a work surface, make a well in the center and incorporate the egg yolks. Add the flour, one cup at a time, working it in with your hands. |
4 | Let the dough rest for 30 minutes under a moist cloth - this would be a great time to start those labor-intensive vegetable pearls. |
5 | Add a few pinches of salt to the dough and incorporate. |
6 | Roll a small piece of dough into a log, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (gnocchi) and drop into salted boiling water to test consistency. Add more flour if needed. |
7 | Divide the remaining dough into four pieces, roll into logs and then slice the logs into gnocchi using the back of the knife or a pastry cutter. Dust the work surface and gnocchi with flour to prevent sticking, if needed. |
8 | You will need approximately 3 cups of finished gnocchi for six first courses. The remainder freeze really well - dust them lightly with flour, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. You can then transfer them to ziplock bags for storage, but spread them out in a single layer on a well-floured tray to defrost before boiling. (Or you can drop them straight from the freezer into rapidly boiling water.) |
9 | To boil the gnocchi and prepare the sauce, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. |
10 | Melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the shallots and cook for 1 minute. Add the cooked pancetta or smoked bacon. Add the escargots, vegetable pearls, stock, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Saute over high heat for 2 minutes. |
11 | Drop the gnocchi in the boiling water and remove with a slotted spoon after they have floated for 30 seconds. |
12 | Add the gnocchi to the sauce and let simmer a minute or so, until the sauce is absorbed. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the cheese and the chives. Taste and adjust the seasoning. |
13 | Divide among six small shallow bowls, garnish with the chervil and serve. |


Notes
An 8-point scoop, available at kitchen stores, is actually just a tiny melon baller. Use it to carve the vegetables into perfect uniform "pearls" that make this dish so aesthetically pleasing.Placing the milled potatoes in a 250F degree oven allows the excess moisture to evaporate. Less flour is required to form the dough and the resulting gnocchi are tender and light as air.'Pluche' is a French term for an herb sprig used as a garnish. The herb's leaves are often trimmed from the bottom of the stem - like a rose for a short bud vase.Source
Chef/Owner Michael Schlow, Radius, Via Matta and Great Bay Restaurants, Boston, MA