Mushroom Fricassée With Potato Gnocchi
Ingredients:
- For the Gnocchi
- 2 pounds russet potatoes
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
For the fricassée:
- 1/2 pound oyster mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon chopped savory herbs (thyme, rosemary, and sage)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, to taste
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
Procedure:
For the gnocchi:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Bake the potatoes for 1 hour, or until they are fork tender.
Scoop out the flesh, and press it through a potato ricer. Place the hot potato flesh on a cutting board. Make a well in the center. Place a half of the flour in the well, add the egg yolks, then the remaining flour.
Use a dough scraper to mix the potatoes into the flour and eggs. This process should be done quickly (15 to 30 seconds), as overworking the dough will make the gnocchi tough. The resulting dough should be soft and barely sticky on the outside. Wrap with plastic, and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes
Pull off a section of the dough and roll it by hand on a lightly floured surface into a strip about 1/2-inch thick. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces and, using your hand, roll each piece into a ball. Then roll the balls on a gnocchi paddle to achieve a textured surface. Store on a floured sheet pan until ready to cook (up to 1 hour, after that, place in freezer).
For the fricassée:
Preheat a 6-quart saucepot over medium-high heat.
Add the olive oil, and the sliced mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
Add the minced garlic, and the heavy cream. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until reduced by 2/3.
To finish:
Bring 2 gallons of salted water to a boil.
Add the gnocchi, and wait for them to float. As they rise to the top, use a slotted spoon to remove them, and add them to the mushroom and cream mixture.
Finish with herbs, lemon juice, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.