Parisian Gnocchi

Serves: 5

Fredy Murphy

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

58

Spice

54

Sweetness

50

Sourness

35

mins

Prep time (avg)

4.4

Difficulty

Ingredients:

1.25 cups

Water (310ml)

1 tsp

Sea Salt

Directions:

1

To make the pâte à choux, heat the water, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a saucepan over medium heat just until the butter is melted

2

Dump in all the flour at once and stir the mixture briskly for about 2 minutes, until the dough forms a smooth ball

3

Remove from the heat and scrape the dough into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment

4

(If you don't have a stand mixer, simply leave it in the bowl

5

) Let the dough sit for 3 minutes, stirring it every so often to release some of the heat

6

With the mixer on medium-high speed, add the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next

7

Add the dry mustard and beat until the dough is completely smooth

8

Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and set aside

9

To make the mornay sauce, melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat

10

Add the flour and cook, letting the mixture bubble, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, until the paste is thickened

11

(Don't let it brown

12

) Gradually whisk in the milk, beginning slowly and stirring constantly to avoid lumps

13

Decrease the heat to low and cook the mornay for 6 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the sauce is about as thick as a milkshake

14

Remove from heat and add the salt, cayenne, and 1/2 cup (40g) of the Swiss-style grated cheese; stir until the cheese is melted

15

Butter a shallow 2 1/2- to 3-quart (2

16

5 to 3l) baking dish

17

(A wide dish is preferable to a deep one for browning the cheese topping

18

) Sprinkle half of the Parmesan over the bottom and sides

19

Spread 1 cup (250ml) of the mornay sauce over the bottom of the baking dish

20

Line a large dinner plate with a few layers of paper towels

21

Bring a pot of salted water to a low boil

22

Either using two soupspoons—one to scoop up some of the dough and the other to scrape it into the boiling water—or a spring-loaded ice cream scoop filled partially full, scoop a round of the dough—about 1 generous tablespoon each—and drop it into the water

23

(The ice cream scoop was a little newfangled for Paule, although she did agree—reluctantly—that it was more expedient and made nicer gnocchi

24

) Working in batches, poach 8 to 10 gnocchi at a time

25

Let them poach for 2 minutes, then retrieve them from the water and drain them on the paper towels

26

(They won't be fully cooked inside

27

) Repeat, poaching the rest of the gnocchi the same way

28

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) with the oven rack in the top third of the oven

29

Once the gnocchi are parcooked, place them in a single layer on top of the mornay in the baking dish, and then spoon the rest of the mornay over the gnocchi in a fairly even layer

30

Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/4 cups (100g) of Swiss-style cheese over the top, along with the remaining Parmesan

31

Put the baking dish on a foil-covered baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes

32

Increase the oven temperature to 400ºF (200ºC) and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese on top is well browned

33

Let cool a few minutes, and then serve in the baking dish, family style

34

To make the pâte à choux, heat the water, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a saucepan over medium heat just until the butter is melted

35

Dump in all the flour at once and stir the mixture briskly for about 2 minutes, until the dough forms a smooth ball

36

Remove from the heat and scrape the dough into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment

37

(If you don't have a stand mixer, simply leave it in the bowl

38

) Let the dough sit for 3 minutes, stirring it every so often to release some of the heat

39

With the mixer on medium-high speed, add the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next

40

Add the dry mustard and beat until the dough is completely smooth

41

Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and set aside

42

To make the mornay sauce, melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat

43

Add the flour and cook, letting the mixture bubble, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, until the paste is thickened

44

(Don't let it brown

45

) Gradually whisk in the milk, beginning slowly and stirring constantly to avoid lumps

46

Decrease the heat to low and cook the mornay for 6 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the sauce is about as thick as a milkshake

47

Remove from heat and add the salt, cayenne, and 1/2 cup (40g) of the Swiss-style grated cheese; stir until the cheese is melted

48

Butter a shallow 2 1/2- to 3-quart (2

49

5 to 3l) baking dish

50

(A wide dish is preferable to a deep one for browning the cheese topping

51

) Sprinkle half of the Parmesan over the bottom and sides

52

Spread 1 cup (250ml) of the mornay sauce over the bottom of the baking dish

53

Line a large dinner plate with a few layers of paper towels

54

Bring a pot of salted water to a low boil

55

Either using two soupspoons—one to scoop up some of the dough and the other to scrape it into the boiling water—or a spring-loaded ice cream scoop filled partially full, scoop a round of the dough—about 1 generous tablespoon each—and drop it into the water

56

(The ice cream scoop was a little newfangled for Paule, although she did agree—reluctantly—that it was more expedient and made nicer gnocchi

57

) Working in batches, poach 8 to 10 gnocchi at a time

58

Let them poach for 2 minutes, then retrieve them from the water and drain them on the paper towels

59

(They won't be fully cooked inside

60

) Repeat, poaching the rest of the gnocchi the same way

61

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) with the oven rack in the top third of the oven

62

Once the gnocchi are parcooked, place them in a single layer on top of the mornay in the baking dish, and then spoon the rest of the mornay over the gnocchi in a fairly even layer

63

Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/4 cups (100g) of Swiss-style cheese over the top, along with the remaining Parmesan

64

Put the baking dish on a foil-covered baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes

65

Increase the oven temperature to 400ºF (200ºC) and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese on top is well browned

66

Let cool a few minutes, and then serve in the baking dish, family style