Gnocchi Gorgonzola Recipe: How to Make Gnocchi Gorgonzola
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Dec 21, 2021 • 3 min read
Learn to make fresh potato gnocchi with a creamy, rich gorgonzola cheese sauce.
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What Is Gnocchi Gorgonzola?
Gnocchi gorgonzola is a dish made with fresh potato gnocchi tossed in a cream sauce made from gorgonzola cheese, heavy cream, and butter. It is often topped with Parmesan cheese, parsley, walnuts, or simply with a few cracks of black pepper.
Gnocchi, Italian for “lumps,” are dumplings made from mashed potatoes combined with just enough flour to hold the dough together. They’re formed by rolling the dough, which sometimes contains eggs as a binding agent, into a thin log and then cutting that into bite-size pieces. Ridges are sometimes added by pressing gnocchi against a fork or ridged wooden gnocchi board.
7 Tips for Making Gnocchi Gorgonzola
Ensure you make the best gnocchi by following these tips:
- 1. Use the right potato. Old, starchy potatoes, such as russet, make the best gnocchi.
- 2. Dry out your potatoes. Rice and dry out the potatoes as soon as possible after baking to evaporate the most moisture. Protect your hands with a dry kitchen towel, gloves, or oven mitts. Let the riced potatoes cool fully before making the dough—this will ensure the potatoes can dry properly and don’t cook the egg yolk prematurely.
- 3. Get the texture right. The less flour you use, the more tender your gnocchi will be. If the dough is very sticky, add just enough extra flour to make it workable for the perfect firm but pillowy texture.
- 4. Use a light touch. When kneading and shaping the dough, use as little force as possible. Overworking the dough will cause it to become tough.
- 5. Add ridges. You can add sauce-catching ridges to your gnocchi by lightly rolling each dumpling against the tines of a fork.
- 6. Save gnocchi for later. Freeze unboiled gnocchi on lightly floured parchment-lined baking sheets. Transfer frozen gnocchi to a zip-top freezer bag and boil in small batches. (Too many frozen gnocchi in one pot will lower the water temperature.)
- 7. Use the right cheese. Gorgonzola dolce is a creamier style of gorgonzola that melts more evenly and provides a rich, silky texture. Avoid pre-crumbled packages of gorgonzola, which don’t typically melt as well and could result in a grainy sauce.
Gnocchi Gorgonzola Recipe
makes
prep time
1 hr 30 mintotal time
2 hr 10 mincook time
40 minIngredients
For the gnocchi
For the sauce and serving
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a fork to pierce each potato in a few places. On a rimmed baking sheet, bake potatoes until tender, about 40-60 minutes.
- 2
Remove from the oven and let them rest until just cool enough to handle.
- 3
Halve the potatoes and scoop the flesh into a potato ricer. Rice the potatoes onto a large rimmed baking sheet into a roughly even layer (do not compact). Cool completely to room temperature, about 10-15 minutes.
- 4
Transfer the cooled potatoes to a large bowl. Add the flour and toss to coat. Form a well in the center of the potato-flour mixture. Add egg yolk and salt and stir with a fork until a moist, shaggy mixture forms. Transfer the mixture to a lightly floured surface and knead just until the dough comes together, adding a little flour if needed.
- 5
Form the dough into a ball, then divide into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ¾-inch-thick rope and use a bench scraper or knife to cut the rope into ¾-inch pieces. Transfer the gnocchi to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- 6
Fill a large pot with water and a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the gnocchi to the boiling water, making sure not to crowd the gnocchi. Boil until the gnocchi rise to the surface and feel tender, about 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to drain the cooked gnocchi and transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil over the gnocchi to prevent them from sticking together, and repeat with remaining gnocchi. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water.
- 7
While the water boils and gnocchi cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- 8
Reduce heat to low and add gorgonzola, cream, milk, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until gorgonzola is melted and the sauce is thickened slightly, 3–5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- 9
Stir the gnocchi into the gorgonzola sauce, adding reserved pasta cooking water a tablespoon at a time as needed to reach the desired consistency. Season with salt to taste.
- 10
Spoon gnocchi onto serving plates and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Finish with a few cracks of freshly ground black pepper and garnish with parsley.
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