Mushroom And Sweet Onion Gnocchi Casserole

Puffy gnocchi in a savoury, creamy sauce laden with mushrooms and sweet onions makes for a nice change from tomato-pasta casseroles and is far better than takeout (which can be tempting on a rushed day). Having a few dishes of this comfort-food meal tucked in the freezer for a simple reheat can save the day when the holiday preparations are in full swing. If you prefer to use one larger casserole dish, use an 8-cup (2-L) shallow dish and allow 24 to 36 hours to thaw (or defrost in the microwave); the reheating time will be the same. You can also double the recipe easily: just sauté the mushrooms in two separate batches. Serve a crispy, vinaigrette-dressed green salad on the side.

Ingredients

3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil, divided
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter, divided
1 lb (455 g) cremini mushrooms, sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp (5 mL) dried rosemary, crumbled
1 lb (455 g) gnocchi
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup (125 mL) dry white wine
2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour
2 cups (500 mL) 10% cream, heated
2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh parsley
Additional 10% cream or milk, warmed
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Heat 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the oil and 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until sizzling. Add mushrooms, ½ tsp (2 mL) salt and ¼ tsp (1 mL) pepper; sauté for about 10 minutes or until mushrooms have released their liquid and are lightly browned. Transfer to a large bowl.

Add remaining butter to skillet and melt over medium heat. Add onion, rosemary and ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until softened. Reduce heat to medium- low and cook, stirring often, for about 20 minutes or until soft and golden.

Meanwhile, cook gnocchi in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring often, for about 3 to 4 minutes or just until they rise to the surface (do not overcook). Using a metal sieve, scoop gnocchi out of water, draining well, and transfer to a large bowl, reserving cooking water. Add remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil to gnocchi and stir gently to coat. Set aside to cool.

Add garlic to onion and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until fragrant. Increase heat to medium-high and pour in wine. Bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits in pan. Boil for 2 minutes or until reduced by about half.

Whisk flour into cream and gradually pour into skillet, while stirring. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into bowl with mushrooms and let cool.

Pour mushroom sauce over gnocchi in bowl and stir gently to coat. Add reserved cooking water, a little at a time, to moisten as desired. You want the gnocchi to be quite saucy as the liquid will be absorbed upon baking. Stir in parsley.

Spoon gnocchi into three or four 2- to 4-cup (500-mL to 1-L) shallow baking dishes. Cover tightly with plastic wrap then place dishes in freezer bags or cover with foil. Freeze for up to 1 month.

To serve, let gnocchi thaw in refrigerator for at least 12 hours or for up to 2 days (alternatively, microwave baking dishes, one at a time, loosely covered with plastic wrap, on defrost/ 50% power, stirring every 2 minutes, until thawed, being careful not to let them heat).

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Remove plastic wrap and cover baking dishes with foil. Bake gnocchi for about 45 minutes or until hot and bubbling around the edges. Uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes to brown top lightly.

Serve with a little warm cream to stir in and thin sauce, as desired, then sprinkle with Parmesan.

Serves 4

Mushroom And Sweet Onion Gnocchi Casserole

Mushroom And Sweet Onion Gnocchi Casserole

Puffy gnocchi in a savoury, creamy sauce laden with mushrooms and sweet onions makes for a nice change from tomato-pasta casseroles. Having a few dishes of this comfort-food meal tucked in the freezer for a simple reheat can save the day when the holiday preparations are in full swing. If you prefer to use one larger casserole dish, use an 8-cup shallow dish and allow 24 to 36 hours to thaw (or defrost in the microwave); the reheating time will be the same. You can also double the recipe easily: just sauté the mushrooms in two separate batches. Serve a crispy, vinaigrette-dressed green salad on the side.

Ingredients:
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 tbsp butter, divided
1 lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp dried rosemary, crumbled
1 lb gnocchi
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup dry white wine
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups 10% cream, heated
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Additional 10% cream or milk, warmed
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil and 1 tbsp of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until sizzling. Add mushrooms, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper; sauté for about 10 minutes or until mushrooms have released their liquid and are lightly browned. Transfer to a large bowl.

Add remaining butter to skillet and melt over medium heat. Add onion, rosemary and ¼ tsp salt. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until softened. Reduce heat to medium- low and cook, stirring often, for about 20 minutes or until soft and golden.

Meanwhile, cook gnocchi in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring often, for about 3 to 4 minutes or just until they rise to the surface (do not overcook). Using a metal sieve, scoop gnocchi out of water, draining well, and transfer to a large bowl, reserving cooking water. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to gnocchi and stir gently to coat. Set aside to cool.

Add garlic to onion and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until fragrant. Increase heat to medium-high and pour in wine. Bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits in pan. Boil for 2 minutes or until reduced by about half.

Whisk flour into cream and gradually pour into skillet, while stirring. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into bowl with mushrooms and let cool.

Pour mushroom sauce over gnocchi in bowl and stir gently to coat. Add reserved cooking water, a little at a time, to moisten as desired. You want the gnocchi to be quite saucy as the liquid will be absorbed upon baking. Stir in parsley.

Spoon gnocchi into three or four 2- to 4-cup shallow baking dishes. Cover tightly with plastic wrap then place dishes in freezer bags or cover with foil. Freeze for up to 1 month.

To serve, let gnocchi thaw in refrigerator for at least 12 hours or for up to 2 days (alternatively, microwave baking dishes, one at a time, loosely covered with plastic wrap, on defrost/ 50% power, stirring every 2 minutes, until thawed, being careful not to let them heat).

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Remove plastic wrap and cover baking dishes with foil. Bake gnocchi for about 45 minutes or until hot and bubbling around the edges. Uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes to brown top lightly.

Serve with a little warm cream to stir in and thin sauce, as desired, then sprinkle with Parmesan.

Serves 4

Gnocchi With Morels And Peas

Gnocchi with Morels And Peas

The bounty of Spring gives many gifts but none as wonderful as the morel mushroom. If you are a hunter you know also how elusive this tasty morsel can be. Nothing else compares.

Gnocchi

2 pounds russet potatoes

2 1/2 cups all-purpose potatoes

1 tablespoon salt

1 large egg

Sauce

1 1/2 pounds morels, soaked in salt eater to remove dirt and patted dry.

Chanterelles may be substituted.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

8 ounces green peas

! Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 Tablespoon truffle oil for garnish

***

Gnocchi

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 and bake the potatoes for about 1 hour, or until tender when pierced with a knife. While the potatoes are still hot, use a large spoon to scoop out the flesh and press it through a ricer into a large bowl. Add the flour and salt to the potatoes, using a pastry cutter to mix the ingredients together. Stir the egg into the potato mixture until blended. Add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time if needed to make a non sticky dough. The less flour you use, the lighter the gnocchi will be.

***

Divide the dough into 8 pieces. On a lightly floured work surface, roll each piece into a rope about 1/2 inch thick. Add more flour if needed to keep the dough from sticking. Gently press the bask of a fork into the dough at 1 inch intervals. Using a knife, cut the gnocchi into 1 inch diagonal sections. Repeat with remaining dough.

Sauce

Directions:

Cut the mores into 2 inch pieces. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over high heat and add the mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mushrooms release their juices.

Decrease the heat to medium-low and stir in the cream and peas. Simmer about two minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Add the lemon juice, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper. Set aside to keep warm.

Cook half of the gnocchi in a large pot of salted boiling water for about two minutes, or until they rise to the top. Using a slotted spoon, gently transfer the gnocchi to 2 or 3 shallow bowls. Place the bowls in a low oven. Repeat with remaining gnocchi and drizzle each serving with truffle oil. Serve immediately.

Pasta With Clams

Gnocchi With Clam Sauce Linguine With Clam Sauce

Yesterday I posted photos of men and the labor intensive gathering of the small clams used for a pasta sauce. As promised, these are the two dishes served in a restaurant of pasta served with the clam sauce.