3547. GNOCCHI with BACON and ESCAROLE

yields four servings

 

 

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 onion, chopped
1 small head escarole, roughly chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 17 .5-ounce package potato gnocchi
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

 

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 7 minutes. Add the onion and continue cooking until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the escarole, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook until the escarole is completely wilted, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain the gnocchi and add to the pot with the escarole mixture. Add the reserved cooking water and stir to coat, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, parmesan and parsley; season with salt and pepper.

bacon recipe source: Food Network Kitchen, Food Network Magazine

3164. TOMATO, BACON and BOCCONCINI GNOCCHI BAKE

yields six servings 


1 tablespoon olive oil 
1 large brown onion, coarsely chopped  
1-2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 
4 short-cut bacon rashers, coarsely chopped
200 grams button mushrooms, thinly sliced 
1/2 cup white wine 
400 grams can diced tomatoes 
120 grams baby spinach leaves 
500 gram package shelf-fresh gnocchi 
200 grams bocconcini, drained, torn in half

Heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic, stirring, for 1 minute. Add bacon and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until bacon is light golden. Add mushroom and cook for 3-4 minutes or until mushroom is soft. Add the wine. Cook, scraping any bits from the base of the pan, for 3-4 minutes or until wine reduces by half. Stir in the tomato. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the spinach until it just wilts. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook the gnocchi in a large saucepan of salted boiling water following packet directions. Drain. Add to tomato mixture. Stir to combine. Divide among six 1 1/3-cup capacity ovenproof dishes. Top with the bocconcini. Place on a baking tray. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bocconcini melts.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Kerrie Ray, Australian Good Taste, December 2010, page 63

2896. GNOCCHI with BACON and SWEET PEAS

yields four servings


Kosher salt

1-pound package potato gnocchi
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme leaves
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 lemon, juiced

 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add the gnocchi and cook for 5 to 6 minutes.

In a large skillet over medium heat add bacon and cook until slightly crisp. Discard the excess fat. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds. Drain the gnocchi and add it to the pan. Stir in the butter, then add the peas, a pinch of black pepper, and a pinch of salt and mix to combine. Add the lemon juice and allow flavors to blend. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer the gnocchi to a serving bowl and serve. 

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Aaron McCargo, Jr., "Easy Elegance," Big Daddy's House, Food Network

2796. GNOCCHI with BACON MARINARA and CRISPY ARUGULA

makes four servings 


1 package prepared gnocchi (4 serving size package) 
4 slices bacon, chopped 
½ whole medium onion, finely diced 
3 cloves garlic, minced and divided 
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
crushed red pepper, to taste
salt to taste 
1 tablespoon olive oil 
4 cups arugula, washed and coarsely chopped 
½ cups loose basil leaves, optional

Bring a pot of water with 1 tablespoon salt to a boil for the gnocchi. When it boils, boil the gnocchi for 2-4 minutes, as package directs. Cook just until the gnocchi floats to the top of the boiling water. Drain off the water and set the gnocchi aside until ready to use.

Meanwhile, make the marinara. Heat a large skillet to medium heat and add the bacon. Stir and cook for 5 minutes or so until bacon is browned at the edges but still somewhat soft. Add the onion to the bacon and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring.

Add half the garlic to the onion mixture and stir for 90 seconds, then add the crushed tomatoes. Taste the marinara, and add as much crushed red pepper and salt as you’d like. Let the sauce simmer very gently while you prepare the arugula.

Heat a separate skillet to medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the arugula and remaining garlic with a sprinkle of salt and saute for 90 seconds until wilted and crispy around the edges. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

Right before serving, add the drained cooked gnocchi and basil leaves to the marinara. Stir together.

Serve each portion of gnocchi topped with a bit of garlic arugula. Drizzle with good olive oil.

bacon recipe courtesy of: FunnyLoveLindsay, Tasty Kitchen, November 13, 2012

2726. PAN-SEARED DUCK BREAST with GNOCCHI, SALSIFY, BRUSSEL SPROUTS, HOUSE-CURED BACON and RED WINE REDUCTION

yields 2-4 servings


2 duck breasts
4-6 salsify (if unavailable, use parsnips)
1 lemon
8 Brussels sprouts
2 slices thick-cut bacon (house cured preferably)
1 cup duck or chicken stock (home-made if possible)
1/2 cup red wine (merlot works well)
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
5 ounces butter (divided into: 2 ounces, 2 ounces, 1 ounce)
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup semolina flour
1/2 cup water (plus 1 gallon for boiling)
2 eggs
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 bunch flat-leaf Italian parsley

Bring 1 gallon of water to boil in a pot, preheat an oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chop 1 tablespoon of parsley and 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme. Boil 1/2 cup of water in a sauce pot with fresh herbs, add a pinch of salt, 2 ounces of butter and wait for it to melt. Add flours and cook for 2 minutes, transfer to a kitchen aid mixer with paddle attachment. Mix for 1 minute, add eggs, mix 1 more minute until smooth. Transfer batter to a pastry bag and pipe long lines onto a sheet pan dusted with flour. Cut gnocchi into 1 inch pieces. Cook in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until doubled in size. Drain, cool under cold water and reserve.

Score diagonally across the breasts (hatch marks) making sure not to penetrate into the meat, only the skin and season breasts with salt and pepper and place skin side down in a oven safe skillet. Render fat and crisp skin over med-low heat, about 10-15 minutes. Remove fat from the pan twice during this process. Reserve. Throw in 5 sprigs of fresh thyme and place in the oven to finish cooking (about 4 minutes for medium temp, and 10 minutes for well done). Remove from the oven and flip breasts over to briefly cook the other side, about 1 minute. Remove and let duck rest for 10 minutes.

Cut bacon in to cubes and render in a skillet until browned. Remove and save for garnish.

Peel salsify and place in water with the squeezed lemon until ready to cut. Thinly slice the salsify on a mandolin and sauté pan with reserved duck fat until cooked, but still crisp, remove and reserve.

Blanch Brussels sprouts in boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove and shock in ice water. Peel outer leaves and reserve, discard the centers.

Reduce red wine and sherry vinegar in a sauce pot until glossy, add duck stock reduce again until slightly thickened, add butter last minute, season with salt, reserve.

Heat a sauté pan over med-high heat and add 1 ounce of butter. Sauté gnocchi until browned on all sides. Add salsify and Brussels in the sauté pan with a splash of chicken stock, season and reduce until no liquid remains. Slice duck breast into 1/4 inch pieces and plate with vegetables and gnocchi. Pour sauce around.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Joel Gargano, Rocco's Dinner Party, Season 1, Episode 2 (Signature Dish, Winner), Bravo TV

2641. GNOCCHI and BACON GRATIN with GARLIC BECHAMEL

yields 2-4 servings


3 slices thick-cut bacon
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 large cloves garlic
17 oz. package gnocchi
salt & pepper, to taste
scant 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 1/2 tablespoons butter

Bring large pot of water to boil. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and butter into small skillet and place on medium heat. Once butter melts, stir breadcrumbs around to moisten completely and brown lightly. Remove from heat and set aside. Once bacon is cooked and crisp, remove from skillet onto paper towels to drain. Leave 1 tablespoon bacon grease in pan and melt in 2 tablespoons butter. Grate in garlic cloves and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle in flour and whisk. Cook 1-2 minutes and then whisk in milk slowly to prevent lumps. Add in salt, pepper and nutmeg and reduce heat to low. Pour gnocchi into boiling water and cook until they start to float, 2-3 minutes. While gnocchi is cooking, crumble cooked bacon. Drain gnocchi and stir into sauce. Add in bacon. Pour entire contents into buttered baking dish and sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes and serve hot.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Lauren's Latest, February 6, 2012

2414. POTATO GNOCCHI, ASPARAGUS, APPLEWOOD SMOKED BACON and PARMESAN

For gnocchi:
2 lbs. russet potatoes
1 1/4-1 1/2 lbs. all-purpose flour
3 large egg yolks
Kosher or sea salt, to taste

For dish:
1 cup applewood smoked bacon, sliced
2 cups asparagus, cut into 1-inch segments and blanched until tender (about 2 minutes)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon chopped sage
Salt
Cracked black pepper
Shaved parmesan

For gnocchi: Preheat oven to 350°. Bake the potatoes until they are completely cooked. Cut the potatoes in half, scoop out the flesh and press them through a potato ricer. Place the hot, riced potatoes on a board or counter and make a well in the center. Place a layer of about 1/2 cup of flour in the well, add the egg yolks, then add about 1/2 cup more flour and the salt. Use a bench scraper to chop the potatoes into the flour and egg. This should be done quickly (15-30 seconds), as overworking the dough will make the gnocchi dense and sticky. Add more flour if necessary. The resulting dough should be homogeneous and barely sticky on the outside. Shape the dough into a ball. Roll the dough lightly in flour. Pull off a small hand sized section of the dough and roll it by hand into about 1/2 inch snake. Cut into 1/2 pieces and roll into a ball, then over a gnocchi board or a fork create a barrel shape with indentations. Test one piece by placing it in a pot of salted, boiling water. Once the gnocchi floats to the surface, it is cooked. Taste for seasoning and texture. Re-season dough if necessary and add a little flour if the gnocchi is mushy. Continue rolling and cooking off the gnocchi.

For dish: In a large saute pan, render fat from bacon until crispy. Drain off bacon fat and add butter. Cook until butter is browned. Add gnocchi to pan and saute until lightly browned. Add asparagus and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Toss in the sage. Plate and finish with shaved parmesan.


bacon recipe courtesy of: cshack_21 (Chris Shackelford) for TasteFresno, January 12, 2011

2357. POTATO GNOCCHI with TRUFFLED BACON JUS

serves 6-8 people


For the gnocchi:
2.5 lb russet potato after ricing
7 oz. all-purpose flour
2 egg yolks
salt

For the jus:
2 cups chicken stock
6 oz. piece slab bacon or 8-10 pieces pre-sliced
4 oz. unsalted butter
3 tablespoons chopped black truffle
2 teaspoons truffle oil

For the garnish:
8-10 thin slices of bacon (cooked until crispy)
truffle slices (optional)
freshly grated Parmesan
micro greens, baby arugula or mache

To make the gnocchi, place the potatoes (skin on) in a pot of cold water. Slowly bring to a simmer. Do not boil, or the skin will crack, and the potatoes will absorb water. The goal is to remove the potatoes from the water and put through the ricer or food mill as soon as they are cooked. If they take on water they will need more flour, and they will be chewy.

Place riced potatoes on floured work surface and add 1/3 of the flour. Work in gently to cool slightly. Then, add salt and egg yolks along with 1/3 more flour. Slowly add remaining flour, but stop when dough no longer feels tacky. Bring pot of water to a simmer. Pinch off small piece of dough. Roll into a ball and cook to see if dough holds together. If not add more flour. Taste for seasoning.

To form the gnocchi, cut manageable portions from dough with bench scraper and roll into a thin log shape. Cut half inch sections. Roll those into balls, and then roll off the back of a fork onto a floured sheet pan.

Gnocchi can be poached ahead of time and refrigerated. The gnocchi are cooked when they float to the top. Remove them from the water. Shock them in ice bath. Drain and cover.

For the jus, bring stock and slab bacon to a simmer. Cook until the bacon is tender. Let cool. Remove bacon from liquid and dice. Add truffle and diced bacon to jus. Bring to a boil. Add butter. Reduce until slightly thickened. Add truffle oil and season to taste.

To plate, toss gnocchi in jus. Taste again and season if necessary. Divide into bowls, making sure each has a nice amount of the sauce. Place crispy bacon, truffle slices if using, Parmesan and greens on top of each. Serve with fork and spoon. You will want to get all the truffle and bacon out of the bowl.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Steven Caravelli, Sleek, 999 N. 2nd Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63102 | Riverfront Times, St. Louis, 2009

2334. CHAR-GRILLED BABY MARROW and BACON GNOCCHI

serves four


store-bought gnocchi
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
8 baby marrows
8 rashers pan-fried bacon, chopped
Parmesan

Cook a pack of store-bought gnocchi in boiling water until the dumplings float to the surface, then drain and toss with olive oil and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Thinly slice baby marrows and char-grill, then drape over the gnocchi along with rashers pan-fried bacon, chopped. Scatter over grated Parmesan and season to taste.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Abigail Donnelly, Woolworths Taste Magazine, South Africa

2044. ROAST GROUPER with GNOCCHI, PEAS, BACON and PARSNIPS

ROASTED GROUPER
2 pounds grouper, cut into 4-ounce pieces
1-1 1/2 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon canola oil

POTATO GNOCCHI
about 2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup eggs, lightly beaten
4-5 russet potatoes, baked and peeled, mashed through a ricer, not a food processor
1/4 pound butter, melted
parmesan cheese, grated
chives, chopped

BLACK TRUMPET MUSHROOM FRICASSE
1 pound whole, shucked English peas, blanched (save shells to use in chicken stock)
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 - 1/2 pound black forest bacon batons, cooked in a pan
8 ounces trumpet mushrooms, roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper
8 ounces Swanji mushrooms, roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper
3 baby leeks, sliced and gently sautéed
4 parsnips, peeled, sliced and quartered, roasted

ROASTED GROUPER: Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a heavy pan heat butter and canola oil. Sauté the fish until brown on each side. Roast in oven about 10 minutes

POTATO GNOCCHI: Start with the flour in a large bowl, make a well in the flour. As you add each ingredient (one by one) gently mix each in with the tips of your fingers. Add ingredients in this order: eggs, potatoes, melted butter, parmesan, and chopped chives. Knead the final mixture until smooth. Separate the kneaded dough into six workable pieces. Flour the rolling surface. With your hands fashion each piece into a long thin roll. Cut the rolls into bite-sized pieces. Place the raw gnocchi into a pot of boiling salted water. Once the gnocchi rises to the surface continue to simmer for 45 seconds. Remove the gnocchi from the pot with a slotted spoon and place on plate. Add the grouper and top with the ragout.

BLACK TRUMPET MUSHROOM FRICASSE: Cook pea shells in chicken stock. Strain and reduce stock, reserve. In saucepan reduce white wine. Add about 1 quart chicken stock. Simmer while adding bacon, mushrooms, leeks, parsnips, and peas. Serve on top of fish with gnocchi.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Suzanne Tracht, Top Chef Masters, Season 1, Episode 7, Elimination Challenge, Bravo TV

1944. POTATO GNOCCHI with BACON and PEA CREAM SAUCE

GNOCCHI:
2 large Russet potatoes
handful of all-purpose flour
salt and pepper
grated Parmesan cheese

SAUCE:
1/2 lb. bacon, cut into smallish chunks
olive oil
2 large shallots, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
8 oz. heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes
frozen peas (a good handful or two)
fresh oregano, chopped
grated Parmesan for serving

Boil the potatoes with the skin on, whole, until easily pierced with a fork, but not overly soft. Peel them while still warm and push through a potato ricer into a large bowl. Sprinkle salt, pepper, Parmesan, and a little flour over the top. Mix together until the dough just comes together, adding more flour if needed, little by little. Turn out onto a lightly floured countertop and knead until the dough forms a sturdy ball, but is still quite pliable. Don't over-add flour.

Using a little more flour on your work surface, cut off chunks of the dough and roll them into about 1" wide tubes - just like making a Play-Doh snake. Use a knife or pastry cutter to cut them into 1-inch chunks. Set aside on a platter until ready to coo. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer - not a boil.

Add the gnocchi, about 10-12 at a time, to the simmering water. Cook them until they float, then remove them gently with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate, making sure they aren't crowded and sticking together. Continue this in batches until all gnocchi have been cooked. Set aside and cover lightly with parchment paper.

In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, cook the bacon until crispy, draining fat as needed. Scoop out the bacon pieces with a slotted spoon, leaving a little fat in the pan. Add a little olive oil and cook the shallots until soft and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping all the brown bits up from the bottom.

Add the chicken broth and raise the heat until it's simmering. Add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano, and cream. Simmer until it's thickened a bit. Stir in the bacon and peas and cook for a few minutes. Reduce the heat and stir in gnocchi. Transfer to plates or serving bowl, top with parmesan, serve and enjoy!


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Fearless Cook: How to Wine and Dine Daringly, Ptitchef.com, 2 rue Jean Bonnardel, Immeuble Topaze - Bat B, 33140 Villenave d'Ornon, France

1936. GOATS MILK RICOTTA GNOCCHI with VIOLET ARTICHOKES, OLIVES and BACON

yields 4-6 servings


For the ricotta gnocchi
1 3/4 cup goat milk ricotta, drained overnight
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 egg
3/4 cup Parmesan, grated
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pound Semolina flour

For the Artichokes Barigoulel
2 tsp. olive oil
10 baby artichokes, cleaned and cut in quarters
1 clove garlic
1 sprig thyme
1/2 sprig rosemary
1 tsp. salt
1 cup white wine
1 cup olive oil

For the artichoke puree
1 tbsp. olive oil
5 large artichoke hearts, cleaned and cut into small pieces
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup canola oil

Bacon
1 slab bacon, 1 inch piece

Garnish
2 tbsp. butter
12 Taggiasca olives
12 leaves of Petit Sylvetta Arugula

For the ricotta gnocchi: First, ricotta must be drained and be as dry as possible. Place cheese in cheesecloth and tie closed with twine. Place in colander and set inside a bowl -- set a heavy soup can on top of the cheese to weigh down. Drain overnight in refrigerator. The next day, squeeze out the remainder of liquid from the cheese while still in cheesecloth. Pass cheese through a fine mesh tamis/sieve by using a flexible pastry scraper.

Combine cheese, flour, egg and salt in a standing mixer with a dough hook. Place semolina in a low sided pan. Start rolling gnocchi into about 10 gram balls, or just about the size of a fresh cherry. Place each rolled gnocchi into the pan with semolina and cover with the flour. Continue until all gnocchi is rolled and in the pan with semolina, covered with the flour. Place pan of rolled, covered, gnocchi into the fridge and lest rest overnight.

For the Artichokes Barigoulel: To clean the baby artichokes, you will not need to clean them quite as far as the full grown artichoke. The choke hasn't quite developed yet, so the innermost part is still tender and edible.

First, cut off the top of the artichoke with a serrated knife. Then clip off the tips of the outer leaves with scissors, and snap them back to reveal the lighter green inner leaves. With either a pairing knife of a vegetable peeler, cut off the hard, full grown leaf remnants around the base. A vegetable peeler is also best of peel off the outer layer of the stem. Trim the very bottom of the stem if it is a little tough. Cut into quarters and hold in acidulated water as you are cleaning the remaining artichokes. This will inhibit oxidation and browning of the artichoke.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a high sided sauté pan, over medium/low heat. While heating the pan, quickly drain the artichokes on a kitchen towel. Sweat the artichokes until tender, allowing for no colorization. Add the herbs and garlic and continue to sweat.

Season with salt. Remove pan from heat and carefully add the wine. Return to heat and bring to a boil. Cover with remaining amount of olive oil. Continue to cook over moderate heat, uncovered, until artichokes are tender. Remove from pan and set aside.

For the artichoke puree: Clean and cut artichokes into small pieces, making sure to remove the inner purple leaves and the choke of the full grown artichoke. Also, be sure to hold in acidulated water until all artichokes are cleaned. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in sauté pan. While heating pan, drain pieces on kitchen towel. Add artichokes and sweat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly and allowing for no colorization. Season with salt. Add wine and cover, cooking over low heat, until the wine has reduced by half. Add water and recover, cook until artichoke pieces are tender. Place artichokes, with any remaining liquid, in the blender and blend. Emulsify with canola oil. Check seasoning. Set aside.

Heat oven to 200° F. Place bacon on a baking sheet and bake overnight, or about ten hours. This will completely dry out the bacon, creating an almost "jerky" quality to the bacon. Remove from the oven the next day and allow to cool completely.

Remove Semolina covered gnocchi from fridge and remove from semolina. Bring a large pot of salted water to a gently rolling boil. Place gnocchi in water and poach for a two minutes. While gnocchi is poaching in water, heat up 2 tablespoons of butter in sauté pan.

Remove gnocchi from water and drain. Place in pan with melted butter and gently coat with butter. Add olives and baby artichoke quarters and sauté gently to warm through.

Warm the artichoke puree gently in a small sauté pan. Separate the artichoke puree evenly between 4 dishes. Separate the gnocchi, olives and artichoke quarters evenly and place on top of artichoke puree. Using a microplane, shave the bacon over the top of the gnocchi. Finish with petit sylvetta arugula.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Daniel Humm, From Eleven Madison Park to Your Dinner Table, Good Morning America, ABC

1675. GNOCCHI NICOISE with BACON

yields four servings


1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces bacon, diced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 pound coarsely ground beef
2 tablespoons brandy or red wine
3 shallots, chopped
1 cup diced carrots
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 15-ounce can plum tomatoes
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 1-inch strips orange peel
2/3 cup nicoise olives, pitted and chopped
1 package (about 1 pound) vacuum-packed gnocchi

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and garlic; cook until the bacon starts to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the ground beef; cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add the brandy, shallots, carrots, celery and tomato paste; cook until the vegetables soften, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Crush the tomatoes into the pan with your hands and add any juices from the can. Stir in the broth, bay leaf, orange peel and olives. Bring to a simmer and lower the heat; cover and cook 20 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat and bring to a boil to thicken the sauce.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil the gnocchi until one floats to the top, about 1 minute. Drain immediately to prevent the gnocchi from becoming mushy. Remove the orange peel and bay leaf from the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Toss the gnocchi with the sauce.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Food Network Magazine

1427. GNOCCHI with BACON, BLUE CHEESE and MASCARPONE

serves four


400 grams packet potato gnocchi
5 spring onions
100 grams medium-flavoured soft blue cheese, such as dolcelatte
250 grams tub mascarpone
225 grams bag washed baby spinach
50 grams pack cooked thin and crispy smoked streaky bacon
green salad and crusty bread, to serve

Put a pan of salted water on to boil for the gnocchi. Meanwhile, slice the spring onions and blue cheese. Spoon the mascarpone into a large deep frying pan. Add the blue cheese and spring onions and leave to melt over a medium heat.

Stir the mascarpone mixture. Tip the gnocchi into the boiling water and cook for about 3 minutes, until they rise to the surface.

Add the spinach in large handfuls to the cheese mixture and stir until just wilted. Crumble in half the bacon. Skim the gnocchi from the pan with a draining spoon, stir into the cheese mixture, then crumble over the remaining bacon. Serve with salad and crusty bread.


courtesy of: Sara Buenfeld, Good Food magazine, March 2002

1295. POTATO and SPINACH GNOCCHI with GARLIC, PARMESAN and BACON

serves 4


3 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and dried (about 4 pounds)
2 eggs, separated
2 tablespoon sour cream
1 clove garlic, minced
2 slices of bacon, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
3/4 pounds fresh spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan
2 tablespoons flour

Sauce:
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 clove garlic, minced
timer

Preheat the oven to 450F. Pierce the skins of the potatoes in several places with the tines of a fork. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until tender. Remove the potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool for 20 minutes until they are easy to handle.

Using a serrated knife, cut a thin slice from one of the wider sides of each potato. Using a towel to protect your hand, hold each potato cut-side up and scoop out the flesh. Place it in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork until nearly smooth. Add the egg yolks, sour cream, garlic and a sprinkling of salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a clean bowl until the whites are thick enough to hold a shape. Fold the whipped egg whites into the potatoes.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Add the walnuts and toss until lightly browned, about 30 seconds. Add the spinach and toss until the spinach has wilted, about 45 seconds. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Mix the potatoes, spinach, parmesan, flour and a sprinkling of salt and pepper in a bowl until well combined.

Form gnocchi in batches of 12. Take 1 teaspoon of the potato mixture and roll it in flour. Gently roll each mound between your hands into a cylinder about 2 inches long. Place a long-tined fork face up on a work surface. Place a potato cylinder on the inside curve of the fork, parallel to the handle. Gently flatten by pressing an index finger into the center of the dough and slide it off the fork. Each piece will be decorated on one side with ridges from the fork tines and with an indentation from your finger on the other. Continue shaping the gnocchi in this way until all have been formed. You should have about 48 gnocchi.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the half the gnocchi to the boiling water. In a short time, they will float to the surface. Cook just 10 seconds more and remove with a large slotted spoon to a serving platter. Keep warm while you cook the remaining gnocchi.

For the sauce, combine the cheese, olive oil , garlic and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Toss with the gnocchi and serve.


courtesy of: Cookthink, 2250 Hall Place NW, Washington, DC 20007

1294. GNOCCHI with BACON and PEAS CREAM SAUCE

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium sized onion red or yellow
4 cloves garlic
3 strips of bacon
¼ cup chicken stock
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup of frozen peas
1-pound gnocchi
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste

Peel and slice the onion into rings and separate them. Mince the garlic and cut the bacon lengthwise and then into 1-½ strips. Thaw the peas anyway you like and grate the Parmesan.

Start by heating up a large pot of water for cooking the gnocchi. You don’t want the sauce ready and have to wait for the gnocchi to cook although they don’t take but 2 minutes to cook.

Heat your sauté pan over medium-high heat to get it hot. Add the oil and butter to the pan and when the butter is melted and hot, add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and continue sautéing for another minute.

Add the bacon and cook for 3 – 4 minutes until the bacon doesn’t have that white fatty look any more. You don’t want the bacon crisp, just cook through. The down side of using bacon over Pancetta is the bacon takes longer to cook but if that’s what you have available, what the heck.

Add the chicken stock to deglaze the pan, stirring up any of the bacon bits that may be sticking to the pan. Add the cream and then the peas. Simmer for 3 – 4 minutes and you will notice the sauce start to thicken.

Right after you add the cream you want to start cooking the gnocchi. They only take 2 –3 minutes to cook but by the time you cook and drain them the sauce will be finished. You will know when the gnocchi are done because they float to the top of the water. The trick to preparing any pasta dish with a great sauce is getting the timing down so everything is done at the same time.

Add the drained gnocchi to the sauce along with the Parmesan cheese and nutmeg. Give it a gentle stir and cook to warm up and incorporate the sauce with the gnocchi.

Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.


courtesy of: Reluctant Gourmet

636. CREAMY MUSHROOM and BACON GNOCCHI

serves 3-4


500 grams gnocchi
2 teaspoons olive oil
2-3 rashers bacon, trimmed of fat, cut into strips
150 grams flat mushrooms, sliced
1 red onion, cut into thin wedges
60 grams cream cheese, softened
2–3 tablespoons semi-skimmed milk
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
a handful of basil leaves, plus extra for garnish


Cook gnocchi in a large saucepan of boiling water for 5 minutes, or until gnocchi floats to the surface. Drain.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Cook bacon, mushrooms and onion over medium heat until browned. Remove from pan. Add cream cheese, milk and garlic to the pan and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until smooth and heated through.

Return bacon mixture to the pan with the gnocchi. Toss to coat, and continue cooking over low heat until gnocchi is heated through. Stir in basil leaves and serve immediately topped with extra basil.


courtesy of: Philadelphia, Kraft Foods, United Kingdom

467. GNOCCHI with COTTAGE CHEESE and BACON

2-lb bag of frozen gnocchi
1 lb cottage cheese
1 lb bacon

Cook gnocchi as directed on package. While gnocchi is cooking, fry the pound of bacon. Drain the bacon on paper towels and pat to remove excess grease. Cut or break (depending on how crispy you like your bacon) the bacon into 1' pieces. Drain the gnocchi and put back into boiling pot. Add cottage cheese and mix well. Add bacon pieces last to maintain crispness. Salt and pepper to taste.


courtesy of: WQED Multimedia, 4802 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, (412) 622-1300 / Felicia Richards, Glassport, Pennsylvania

221. GNOCCHI with SNOW PEAS and BACON

serves four


4-5 rashers lean bacon, roughly sliced
50–100 grams prosciutto, roughly sliced (optional)
100-150 grams mangetout, finely sliced
1 ½ cups chicken stock
½ cup cream or sour cream
800 grams potato gnocchi (see Note)
½ cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat a dash of oil in a frying pan and cook the bacon and prosciutto, if using, until crispy. Set aside. Add the mangetout and toss quickly until crisp tender.

Add the chicken stock and cream and simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce the sauce just a little.

Cook the gnocchi in 8 cups of boiling salted water for 1-2 minutes or only until the gnocchi rises to the top of the water. Do not cook any longer. Lift out with a slotted spoon as they rise to the top and add to the sauce.

Add the gnocchi, bacon, prosciutto, basil leaves, and Parmesan to the sauce and stir gently to combine. Season well with pepper. Serve in bowls with extra grated Parmesan cheese on the side.


NOTE: Most ready-to-go-gnocchi is sold in the chilled section of the supermarket in 400 gram packets. Keep a packet on hand in the freezer for emergency dinners. Gnocchi is little dumplings made from potatoes or pumpkin. Variation Use asparagus when in season in spring and summer in place of mangetout. Add different herbs such as tarragon or chervil.


courtesy of: Allyson Gofton, c/o PO Box 18350, Glen Innes, Auckland, New Zealand