Gnocchi, (pronounced nYOW-kee), a classic Italian pasta usually made from potatoes, is generally a well-liked dish that pairs well with a vast variety of sauces. This spin replaces the potatoes with the starchy celeriac root, adding a little hint of nutty celery flavor to the dish.
Ingredients
- 13 ounces celeriac (about 1 large root), cut into 1-inch cubes, boiled, then dried in oven for 5 minutes
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 ounce finely grated parmesan
- 6 ounces flour (about 1¼ cup)
- Olive oil
- 4 ounces unsalted butter (about ½ cup or 1 stick)
- 1 recipe prepared celeriac gnocchi
- 4 tablespoons shallots, about 1 large, diced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Sea salt to taste
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup shiitake mushrooms (quartered and sautéed)
- ½ cup roasted parsnip (half-moon cuts)
- 2 ounces 6-month-aged gruyere (shaved)
- ¼ cup fennel fronds
Preparation
For the gnocchi:
Preheat oven to 425°F.
In a 4-quart pot, boil the celeriac until it is cooked through, about 15—20 minutes. Remove celeriac from pot, draining all the water.
Place celeriac on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake in oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and run the celeriac through a ricer or shred in a food processor. It is important to note that the celeriac must be smooth, otherwise there will be chunks in the gnocchi.
Prepare a large pot of salty boiling water.
In a small bowl, beat egg until yolk and whites have combined. Place celeriac in large bowl and mix in the egg. Add salt, pepper, parmesan and flour. Mix well but be careful not to over-mix. Mixture should be slightly tacky, but not gummy.
Roll dough into a ball and cut into quarters. Roll out each piece of dough into a thin rope about ½ inch diameter. Using a knife or bench scraper, cut into ¾-inch pieces. Roll a fork onto each piece of gnocchi to form ridges in the dough.
Dump the gnocchi into the boiling water and cook for about 2 minutes. Remove gnocchi from hot water and run under cold water to stop from cooking. Drain and allow to dry. Once dry, toss gnocchi with a little bit of oil and set aside until ready to cook into a dish.
For assembly:
Heat large pan on medium-high heat, add butter and cook until butter begins to brown.
Add gnocchi and cook until gnocchi begin to brown on 1 side, being careful not to burn the butter.
Add shallots, sautéing until the shallots begin to brown and the gnocchi have browned a bit more.
Add heavy cream. Stir mixture well to deglaze the pan. Season with salt to taste.
Turn heat off and add the lemon juice to the mixture, stirring well. Sauce should be thick and lemony.
Plate as desired and garnish with sautéed shiitakes, roasted parsnips, shaved gruyere and fennel fronds.
