Spinach Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Bacon
Serves 2
Adapted from: 365: A Year of Everyday Cooking and Baking
1 pound (500 grams) spinach
7 ounces (200 grams) breadcrumbs
3½ ounces (100 grams) flour, sifted, plus more for rolling the gnocchi
2½ ounces (70 grams) Parmesan cheese, grated
2 large egg yolks
1½ teaspoons + ½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon + ½ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, freshly ground
1 tablespoon olive oil
2⅘ ounces (80 grams) bacon, cubed
10½ ounces (300 grams) mushrooms, stem removed, washed, and sliced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup (60 milliliters) port
¾ cup (180 milliliters) heavy cream
Fill a large pot with water and add salt. Set it over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add the spinach and blanch for 1½ minutes until it becomes tender. Drain the water through a strainer and briefly run the spinach under cold water, to help stop it from continuing to cook.
Drain the spinach for at least 5 minutes, but the longer the better. Squeeze out the remaining liquid from the spinach. Add the spinach to a food processor and blend until pureed. Add water to the food processor if the spinach is too dry and isn’t blending.
Set a large pot of salted water over medium-high heat as you continue with the next steps. This is the water the gnocchi will be cooked in.
In a large bowl, add the pureed spinach, breadcrumbs, flour, Parmesan cheese, egg yolks, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Using your hands, mix everything together until you’re able to form it into one large ball.
Depending on how much spinach you use, how much liquid is left in the spinach when mixing, and how large your eggs are, you may need to add some water or another small egg if it’s not binding. If the dough is too wet, add some more flour.
Be careful when adding additional ingredients as your goal is for the the dough to bind just until you’re able to roll it.
Take about ¼ cup of dough and roll it into a ball in your hands. With the dough still in your hands, slowly roll it into a thick log. On a well floured surface, place the log and slowly roll it with one hand, making sure the outside is well covered in flour.
While still rolling the dough with one hand, slowly apply more pressure. As the log gets thinner and longer, start to use your other hand. Using both hands, apply enough pressure until your log is about 1 inch (2½ centimeters) thick.
The rolling process is slow. If you go too fast, you risk the dough not sticking together or crumbling as you roll. Be gently and gradually apply more pressure.
Once the initial log is covered in flour, you don’t need to add more flour to the surface. As you roll, the flour that’s already on the log will spread out and by the time your down rolling, a fine coating of flour will surround the log.
Cut the log into 1 inch (2½ centimeters) long gnocchi pieces. Set aside on a plate.
Repeat Steps #4-6 until all of the dough is used up.
Add the gnocchi to the pot of boiling water and cook for 4 minutes, until the gnocchi start to rise to the top. Drain and leave the gnocchi in the pot with the lid on.
Set a medium sauce pan over medium heat. As the pan is heating up, add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the bacon and fry for 5-7 minutes, until crispy. Pour into a bowl and set aside.
In the same pan, add a bit more olive oil and the mushrooms, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper, and the red pepper flakes and sauté for 7 minutes until the mushrooms start to shrink. Add the port and deglaze the pan briefly for about 15 minutes.
Add the cream and mix everything together. Let the sauce simmer and reduce for 7 minutes, until it has started to thicken.
Reduce the heat and pour in the crispy bacon, mix everything together, and simmer for an additional 3-4 minutes, allowing the cream to reduce even further and turn into a thick sauce.
Divide up the gnocchi pour the sauce over top. Garnish with additiona.
Enjoy!