Gnocchi Al Forno is a classic Italian dish normally infused with sage. This creamy mushroom gnocchi recipe replaces the sage with shiitake mushrooms which contribute an earthy complexity.
For this recipe, I used homemade gnocchi. You could use store-bought gnocchi, but I strongly encourage you to make your own. The store-bought ones tend to be not quite as light and “pillow-like” as homemade gnocchi. If you are in a rush, though, perhaps it’s a weeknight meal, the store-bought gnocchi can still make superb creamy mushroom gnocchi, especially the refrigerated version.
The primary flavour in the classic gnocchi al forno, apart from the cheese, is the herb sage. As sage is rarely available at the markets I have access to, I replaced the sage with baby shiitake mushrooms. These shiitake mushrooms added another layer of flavour, a wonderful earthy complexity that worked so well. It really inspired me to continue exploring the potential of gnocchi. The gnocchi with blue cheese and the beetroot and ricotta gnocchi were two outstanding outcomes of this exploration.
In my recipe for preparing gnocchi, I linked to a video by Gennaro Contaldo. Here is another one where he describes how he made Gnocchi Al Forno in his most Italian way.
Gnocchi Al Forno with mushrooms (creamy mushroom gnocchi)
Ingredients
- 500 g gnocchi (I like the potato sweet potato, carrot version)
- 50 g butter
- 150 g gruyere grated
- 50 g parmesan grated
- 200 g shiitake mushrooms I used small shiitake mushrooms I found at the food market.
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 200 degC
- Melt 20g of the butter in a skillet
- In 3 to 4 batches, saute the shiitake mushrooms in the butter. Don’t do them all at once otherwise they become soggy rather than crispy
- Remove mushrooms and drain
- Add the other 30 g butter to the skillet, and once melted, add the gnocchi and lightly brown
- Add the mushrooms and cheeses to the gnocchi, distributing evenly
- Transfer to the oven and cook until cheese is melted and browning on the top.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
How to make potato gnocchi
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