Rustic Gnocchi with Gorgonzola, Beets, and Walnuts

 

Serves 4-6 

 

Gnocchi:

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes 

2 eggs

1 cup all purpose flour, plus more if needed

Salt to taste

Sau:

1 bunch beets (3-4 medium sized) and beet greens

1 cup heavy cream

3-4 ounces gorgonzola, crumbled

1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

2 cloves garlic, minced

olive oil

For gnocchi:

1. Boil potatoes in salted water until very tender, about 10-15 minutes, and drain.

2. Mash potatoes and allow to cool.

3. Beat eggs and mix into the potatoes.

4. Add flour to make a soft dough.

5. Boil a large pot of salted water, add a small blob of the dough and boil until it rises to the top. If mushy, add more flour to mixture.  

6. Roll the dough into thick ropes approx 2 cm in diameter, cut into small pillows, whatever size you prefer your gnocchi to be. You can be fancy and roll them onto a fork to make striations for the sauce to stick to, or just throw them into the boiling water as is. 

7. Cook all gnocchi until they float, then drain. 

For sauce:

1. Peel and dice the beets and cut into 1 cm cubes.

2. Chop the beet greens coarsely, including the stems.

3.Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.

4. Add minced garlic and then the beets. Cover the beets to allow to steam for a couple minutes.

5. Once the beets are slightly softened, add the beet greens and stems and saute until tender.

6. Add cream and almost all the gorgonzola. Reserve a couple tablespoons of gorgonzola for garnish.

7. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, if still quite thin, make a slurry of cornstarch and a couple teaspoons of cool water and add to the sauce. Simmer gently until velvety.

8. Season with salt and pepper. 

9. Add gnocchi and stir gently.

10. Garnish with walnuts and the reserved gorgonzola.