INGREDIENTS:
- 1 recipe potato gnocchi (recipe below)
- 1 1/2 cups fresh chestnuts
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms, hydrated in 2 cups boiling water, drained and squeezed dry
- 10 large sage leaves, thinly sliced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup pasta water
- Grated parmigiano cheese for garnish
POTATO GNOCCHI:
- 3 pounds unpeeled Idaho Potatoes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 egg
- Rice Flour for dusting
POTATO GNOCCHI RECIPE DIRECTIONS:
Makes 2 pounds Gnocchi
1. Gently boil the potatoes in their jackets in a large pot of water over medium heat until a tester passes easily through the thickest part of the potato.
2. Remove the potatoes from the pot and let cool to the touch, they shouldn’t get completely cold.
3. Wrap the potatoes in a kitchen towel and rub to remove the skins.
4. Pass the potatoes through a food mill fitted with a medium hole disk, or through a ricer, into a large mixing bowl.
5. Spread the all purpose flour on a clean dry work surface. Place the potatoes onto of the flour. Add the salt and egg.
6. Use your hands to gather the ingredients together and gently knead the dough into a 10 by 8 inch log. Let rest for 2 minutes.
7. Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with rice flour. Cut the log into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 1-inch thick rope. Cut each rope into 1/2 inch wide gnocchi.
8. Store the gnocchi on a rice flour covered baking sheet until ready to use. Dust with rice flour.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.
2. Use a sharp paring knife to score the flat side of the chestnuts with an x.
3. Add the chestnuts to a sauce pan and cover with 4 cups of the water. Bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes. Strain.
4. Place chestnuts on a baking sheet with sides. Bake for 30 minutes.
5. Let cool to the touch - but they need to be warm in order to successfully peel away the shells and skins.
6. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil
7. Add the peeled chestnuts and the drained porcini to the jar of a blender and process until the chestnuts are coarsely chopped.
8. Add the blended chestnuts and porcini to a 10- inch skillet.
9. Add the sage, cream, salt and pepper. Turn on the heat to medium high. Cook, stirring occasionally.
10. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook until they float to the top (approx 2 minutes).
11. Use a wire mesh skimmer to remove the gnocchi from the pot and place them directly into the skillet. Add the 1/2 cup pasta water. Stir to combine.
12. Serve immediately with grated parmigiano cheese.