Parisian Gnocchi Recipes

PARISIAN GNOCCHI RECIPE

Steps:

• Bring water, butter, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add flour all at once and stir with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to stir, beating dough forcefully and rapidly to prevent it from sticking to the pot. Continue cooking until dough pulls away from sides of pot leaving a thin layer and steams slightly.
• To Finish with Stand Mixer: Transfer hot dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add mustard and cheese and beat on medium-low speed. Add eggs one at a time, allowing dough to fully incorporate egg before adding the next one. When final egg has been added, add herbs and beat to combine. Transfer mixture to a gallon-sized zipper-lock bag or a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch tip. Proceed to Step 4.
• To Finish by Hand: Remove pot from heat. Add mustard and cheese and beat with wooden spoon until homogenous. Add eggs one at a time, beating vigorously with each addition to prevent eggs from curdling and allowing dough to fully incorporate egg before adding the next one. When final egg has been added, add herbs and beat to combine. Transfer mixture to a gallon-sized zipper-lock bag or a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch tip.
• Let mixture rest 15 to 25 minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer and have a rimmed baking sheet. If using a zipper-lock bag, cut off a 1/2-inch opening in one corner. Holding the bag over the boiling water, squeeze the mixture out of the bag, cutting it off with a paring knife into 1-inch lengths and letting them fall directly into the simmering water. Continue cutting off as many as you can in one minute, then stop.
• When all gnocchi have floated to the top, continue cooking until gnocchi are fully cooked to the center, about 3 minutes longer. Lift gnocchi with a fine mesh strainer or a metal spider and transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and toss to coat. Repeat with remaining dough. Cooled gnocchi can be refrigerated until ready to continue cooking in either the Parisian Gnocchi with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Corn, and Zucchini , or in the Parisian Gnocchi Soufflé .

PARISIAN GNOCCHI

Steps:

• 1. To make the pâte à choux, heat the water, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a saucepan over medium heat just until the butter is melted. Dump in all the flour at once and stir the mixture briskly for about 2 minutes, until the dough forms a smooth ball. Remove from the heat and scrape the dough into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (If you don't have a stand mixer, simply leave it in the bowl.) Let the dough sit for 3 minutes, stirring it every so often to release some of the heat.
• 2. With the mixer on medium-high speed, add the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next. Add the dry mustard and beat until the dough is completely smooth. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and set aside.
• 3. To make the mornay sauce, melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, letting the mixture bubble, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, until the paste is thickened. (Don't let it brown.) Gradually whisk in the milk, beginning slowly and stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
• 4. Decrease the heat to low and cook the mornay for 6 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the sauce is about as thick as a milkshake. Remove from heat and add the salt, cayenne, and 1/2 cup (40g) of the Swiss-style grated cheese; stir until the cheese is melted.
• 5. Butter a shallow 2 1/2- to 3-quart (2.5 to 3l) baking dish. (A wide dish is preferable to a deep one for browning the cheese topping.) Sprinkle half of the Parmesan over the bottom and sides. Spread 1 cup (250ml) of the mornay sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.
• 6. Line a large dinner plate with a few layers of paper towels. Bring a pot of salted water to a low boil. Either using two soupspoons-one to scoop up some of the dough and the other to scrape it into the boiling water-or a spring-loaded ice cream scoop filled partially full, scoop a round of the dough-about 1 generous tablespoon each-and drop it into the water. (The ice cream scoop was a little newfangled for Paule, although she did agree-reluctantly-that it was more expedient and made nicer gnocchi.) Working in batches, poach 8 to 10 gnocchi at a time. Let them poach for 2 minutes, then retrieve them from the water and drain them on the paper towels. (They won't be fully cooked inside.) Repeat, poaching the rest of the gnocchi the same way.
• 7. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) with the oven rack in the top third of the oven.
• 8. Once the gnocchi are parcooked, place them in a single layer on top of the mornay in the baking dish, and then spoon the rest of the mornay over the gnocchi in a fairly even layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/4 cups (100g) of Swiss-style cheese over the top, along with the remaining Parmesan. Put the baking dish on a foil-covered baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 400ºF (200ºC) and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese on top is well browned. Let cool a few minutes, and then serve in the baking dish, family style.

PARISIENNE GNOCCHI WITH BACON AND TARRAGON

Steps:

• Place oil and diced bacon in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place pan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy. Set aside.
• Bring 4 quarts water to a simmer in a stockpot and line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
• Combine salt, 1 1/2 cups water and 12 tablespoons butter in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir constantly, making sure to not let the mixture stick to the bottom of the pan. Stir until a dough ball forms. Transfer dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the motor running on low, add Gruyere, Dijon mustard and tarragon and mix until well incorporated. With motor still running, add eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is incorporated before adding another. Transfer dough to a medium pastry bag fitted with a large metal tip.
• Slowly pipe dough into boiling water, using a paring knife to slice off into 3/4-inch pieces. (Work in batches.) When gnocchi float, transfer to lined sheet tray and chill until cold.
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a saute pan until hot and bubbly. Add gnocchi to pan and saute until browned. Add cooked, cubed bacon and stir.

GNOCCHI PARISIENNE (FRENCH STYLE GNOCCHI)

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat milk and butter over medium heat. As soon as it comes to a simmer, reduce heat to low. With a wooden spoon, stir in flour. Continue to stir until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan.
• Place the dough in a large bowl and beat in the mustard using a mixer or a wooden spoon. Continue to beat for a minute. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until each is incorporated, about 2 minutes between each egg. The dough should be thick enough to pipe.
• In a large pot, bring water seasoned with salt to a boil. Fill a piping bag fitted with a 3/4 inch (2 cm) tip, or a large ziploc bag with 3/4 inch (2 cm) cut off the corner, with the gnocchi dough. Flour scissors or a sharp knife and pipe 1/2 of the dough into the boiling water, cutting to dough into 1-1 1/2 inch pieces as it comes out of the bag and into the water. As soon as the gnocchi rise to the surface, remove with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined baking sheet in a single layer. Repeat with remaining half of dough. Place baking sheet in the refrigerator, uncovered, for at least an hour.
• While the gnocchi are drying, make mornay sauce. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in flour until bubbling, 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in wine while continuing to whisk. Slowly pour in milk. Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in the grated cheese and nutmeg. If the gnocchi need more time to dry or the sauce is being prepared in advance, cover the top with plastic wrap so it is touching the surface to prevent skin from forming and refrigerate. Reheat over medium low heat when ready to serve.
• In a large, non-stick frying pan, melt butter and oil over high heat. Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in rosemary and continue to cook until darkened and cooked through, another minute. Remove to a bowl and wipe skillet clean.
• Return skillet to stove and drizzle 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over high heat. Once thoroughly heated and smoking, add gnocchi in batches, shaking pan to brown on all sides. Remove to serving bowls and repeat with remaining gnocchi. Top each bowl with a few sauteed mushrooms before adding mornay sauce.
• Serve immediately.