Homemade Gnocchi with Pancetta, Mushrooms, Stracchino Cheese

I’m always up for a dish with pasta and/or gnocchi that isn’t just a red gravy. This is a great alternative with fresh pancetta, baby bella mushrooms, and stracchino cheese. 

Ingredients:

Homemade Gnocchi

• 3 Russet Potatoes
• 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 Egg
• 1 TSP Salt

For the dish:

• 10 Baby Bella mushrooms – Chopped
• 1 Cup Pancetta – Diced
• 4 TBS Stracchino Cheese
• 2 Cloves Garlic

Directions:

1. Fill a large pot on med-high heat and get it to a boil
2. Cut the potatoes in half (skin on), and boil for 25 minutes
3. Set the potatoes aside after 25 minutes, and let them cool for about 10 minutes
4. Try to work with them while they are as hot as possible, and peel the skin off
5. Run the potatoes (now with no skin) through a ricer (or grate the potatoes) onto a clean work surface
6. Create a well in the center of the potatoes, beat 1 egg, and add it in the middle
7. Add 1 tsp salt
8. Sift 1.5 cups of flour onto the potatoes (leave a half cup to add as you go)
9. Form the dough (it’ll take 5-10 minutes) and roll into a big log
10. Cut off small pieces, and roll out, then cut the gnocchi into desired size/shape
11. As you cut the gnocchi, place them on parchment paper and make sure none are touching each other otherwise they will stick together. You need to work quick once you cut the gnocchi. Dust them with flour as you put them on parchment paper.
12. Now to cook the dish:
13. Get another pot of water boiling for the gnocchi, and salt the water
14. In a sauté pan, add 2 TBS olive oil, and 2 whole cloves of garlic
15. After 1 minute, add the mushrooms (season with salt and pepper)
16. Cook the mushrooms for 5 minutes, then add the pancetta
17. Cook the mushrooms/pancetta for another 10-15 minutes
18. The water should be boiling at this point, add the gnocchi
19. While the gnocchi is cooking, add 1/4 cup of the boiling water to the mushrooms/pancetta pan
20. When the gnocchi float, transfer them to the sauté pan and mix together (You can choose to cook the gnocchi in 2 batches and transfer)
21. When all of the gnocchi is in the pan, break the cheese into small chunks and spread it in the pan
22. Add another 1/4 cup of the gnocchi water onto the pan and mix everything in the pan (Lower the heat to medium/low)
23. Keep mixing until you see a sauce form. If you think you need more pasta water to thin it out, add it.
24. Top with fresh black pepper and serve.