Recipe: Potato Gnocchi with Veal and Mushroom Sauce

By Nancy Caivano

Potato Gnocchi
with Veal and Mushroom Sauce

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

For sauce:
6 tbsp olive oil
2 lbs ground veal
5 cloves garlic, chopped (or 1 tbsp jar chopped garlic)
1 tbsp rosemary, chopped
1 lb mixed mushrooms, chopped (variety your preference)
2 (14-1/2 oz) cans crushed tomatoes in purée
1-1/2 cups red wine
1-1/2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

For the Gnocchi:
2 lbs baking potatoes
1-3/4 cups flour
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan)

Method:

For the sauce:
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add veal, garlic and rosemary; sauté until veal is no longer pink, breaking up large clumps, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, and sauté until mushrooms release their liquid. Add tomatoes, wine, broth and tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally about 40-50 minutes. Add parsley and season with salt and pepper. Simmer 15 minutes more. Keep warm if serving same day, or sauce can be refrigerated or frozen and reheated.

For the gnocchi:
Boil the potatoes in their skins until tender. Drain and peel them. (This can be done the day before also). Mash potatoes well. Mound potatoes on a board. Add the flour, mix well. Mound mixture and make a well in the center. Break the egg into the well, add salt and cheese, and knead until the mixture forms a smooth, firm dough.

Cut it into pieces and use the palm of your hand to roll each piece into a long sausage shape. Cut each length into 2-1/4 inch cylinders, separating them. Roll each of the gnocchi over the prongs of a fork, pressing down lightly with your thumb, and drop them onto a floured board.

Cook the gnocchi a few at a time in boiling salted water, lifting them out with a slotted spoon, as soon as they rise to the surface. Toss with some of the sauce. Pass extra sauce and extra Romano cheese if desired.