Foolproof Gnocchi with Creamed Kale
There are some dishes that are best pure and simple. Buttermilk pancakes, eggs over easy, and buttered cinnamon raisin toast come to mind in the breakfast category. Grilled cheese with silky tomato soup and pb&j are foods that qualify in the lunch category. For dinner? I think of whole broiled fish with lemon, lamb chops with mint, and most of all, gnocchi with cream sauce.
Little potato dumplings sliced from a long rope, tossed in cream sauce flavored by chopped kale- this dish is the grandfather of comfort food. The next time you’re in the mood for this kind of food (think: mac and cheese, spaghetti carbonara, anything white on white…) make this dish. Not only is it cheap (1 russet potato makes 2 servings of gnocchi), it’s also not as bad for you as other comfort foods. I used half and half as the base of the cream sauce, kale to add depth of flavor, and left out the other usual suspects from the guilt-inducing line up, like cheese and bacon (not that the addition of them would taste bad here!). What we’re left with is the essence of purity, so each one of the few flavors included in the dish can share and harmonize in the spotlight. Enjoy!
Note: gnocchi freeze very well, so if you prefer, follow the recipe through cutting them into dumplings, then instead of cooking them, place them on a tray, lined with parchment and sprinkled with flour, so they do not touch. Set in the freezer for 1 hour, remove from the tray, and place in plastic freezer bags for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to cook them, simply bring a pot of water to boil and follow the rest of the directions below. They will take an extra minute to cook in the boiling water, but do not defrost them ahead of time to avoid this.
Gnocchi with Creamed Kale
Makes 2 Servings
Gnocchi
1 russet potato (about 1 lb), peeled, cut in half lengthwise, and sliced thinly crosswise
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
pinch nutmeg
salt and pepper
Creamed Kale
2 cups half and half
2 cups chopped kale, fresh or frozen
pinch nutmeg
pinch cayenne or dried red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
Method
1. Place potato sliced in a large pot and cover them with plenty of water (at least 1 1/2 quarts or 6 cups) and bring to a boil, covered, over high heat.
2. Meanwhile, chop kale if it is fresh, or take it out of the freezer if it is frozen, to allow it to slightly defrost.
3. When potatoes are very tender, easily pierced with a knife, and practically falling apart, drain them in the pot, and place the pot back on the stove for a few minutes just to evaporate any extra water. Do not let the potatoes brown!
4. Mash the dried potatoes with a potato masher, ricer, or food mill, and spread mash out on a plate to cool. Maximizing the surface area will help cool it faster. Once cooled (they don’t have to be cold, just not warmer than lukewarm, to avoid scrambling the eggs), dump the potato mash into a mixing bowl, add the egg yolk, nutmeg, salt and pepper, then the flour last, stirring just until the dough comes together, no more.
5. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, roll out gnocchi balls into ropes, about 3/4 inch thick. Using a small, sharp knife, cut gnocchi into dumplings, about 3/4 inch to 1 inch apart. If your knife begins to stick to the dough, take care to wash it off before continuing, or your gnocchi will look ragged. let gnocchi sit out while you make the cream sauce.
6. Ready? Pour half and half, kale, nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper into a saucepan. bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let it reduce to sauce consistency. While it reduced, drop the gnocchi into the boiling water and cook uncovered. When the gnocchi rise to the top, they are done (it should take about 1 minute). Drain the gnocchi, place in the saucepan, which is now turned off, toss to coat, and spoon them into 2 shallow bowls to serve. Enjoy!
-M : )
