Homemade Gnocchi with Red Sauce + Cabernet Franc or Carmanere by Lagana Cellars

“If the gnocchi is too dense – somewhere, my grandmother will be shaking her finger at you!” — Todd Bernave

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparing Gnocchi:

1. Add water to a medium pot, with about a TBSP of salt. Set aside 1-2 half sheet pans with sheets of floured parchment.
2. Peel 2-3 medium sized Yukon gold potatoes, rinse and cut into quarters. Add to pot and turn heat to medium/high or high. Cook until potatoes are fork tender.
3. Drain water. Using a potato ricer, rice potatoes onto a sheet pan or plate in thin layers so heat and steam can escape quickly. Let cool for 5-7 minutes.
4. Add the 1¼ cup of flour to a large mixing bowl, then add 2 cups of loosely packed riced potato to the flour and mix thoroughly with a fork.
5. Find a large surface (I like a drawer-sized wood cutting board), and sprinkle with flour and rub in with your hand. Dump the flour/potato mix onto your work surface.
6. In the center of this pile (which should only be about 2″ at its thickest) make a shallow divot, and pour the egg mixture into the divot.
7. Using a pastry knife, gently incorporate the mix. Do not overdo it, then use the knife to create a rough ball shape. Then quickly wash your hands and pastry knife.
8. Flour your hands, and use the pastry knife to pick up the ball, and gently finish the ball adding a dash of flour if needed. Set aside and scrape the work surface with pastry knife.
9. Once clear, flour surface and gently roll ball into a cylinder that is about 2 inches thick and a foot long, then cut into 6 smaller pieces using the pastry knife.
10. Roll out the small pieces (you’ll have to sprinkle work surface with flour now and again) into rolls that are about ½” thick and 6″ long.
11. Once rolled out, use the pastry knife to cut into ¾”-1″ pieces. Slightly pinch pieces as you pick up and transfer to sheet pans, leaving space between each one.
12. You can either freeze the gnocchi to use later, or use immediately.

Preparing the Base Red Sauce:

1. Place the tomatoes, shallots, garlic, carrot, onion, and basil in a large mixing bowl. Add spices, drizzle with olive oil, and toss thoroughly.
2. Add mixture to a large 2″ roasting pan, place (uncovered) in 400°F oven for 1 hour.
3. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Place contents into a mixing bowl and puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Use immediately or freeze.

Finishing Red Sauce:

1. In medium/large pot, add the base red sauce on medium/medium-low heat.
2. Add half the tomato paste, ground beef, tenderloin, and lamb to the pot, turn down heat, and let simmer.
3. In a large sauce pan on medium heat, add garlic and a splash of olive oil, let cook for 2-3 minutes (do not burn the garlic).
4. Add the rest of the tomato paste and half and half to the sauce pan, turn down heat to medium/low, stir for a minute or two, then add grated parm.
5. Continue stirring until the parm has fully incorporated. Add contents of sauce pan to the red sauce in the pot and mix thoroughly.

Cooking Gnocchi:

1. Have your red sauce heated and ready to go.
2. Add water to large pot, with about a TSP of salt and two TBSP olive oil, bring to boil. Also, have a large sauce pan on low heat with 2 TSP olive oil.
3. Quickly add 20 to 30 pieces of gnocchi at a time. When they float, they are done. Use a large slotted/mesh spoon to transfer the gnocchi to the sauce pan to keep warm.
4. Once you have cooked all the gnocchi, add your sauce to the gnocchi and mix it in gently but thoroughly.
5. Serve on plates or shallow bowls, optional topping additions of grated parm and chopped fresh basil are highly encouraged!
6. Pair with a bottle of Eritage Cabernet Franc and a warm sliced baguette.

INGREDIENTS

For the Gnocchi:

• 1¼ cup of flour
• 2 cups riced Yukon gold potatoes
• 1 egg and 1 egg yolk, mixed thoroughly in small bowl with a fork
• 1 to 1½ TBSP kosher salt (for water to cook potatoes)
• 1-2 TBSP olive oil (for water to cook finished gnocchi)
• ½ cup flour, placed in a small bowl, for hands and work surfaces

For the Red Sauce Base:

• 5 lbs halved Roma tomatoes
• 3-4 peeled and halved shallots
• 2-3 heads of garlic (separated and peeled)
• 1 medium Walla Walla sweet onion, peeled and quartered
• 2-3 peeled carrots cut down to 3″ pieces
• 1 cup fresh basil
• ¼ TSP cayenne pepper flakes
• 2 TSP oregano
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

To Finish Red Sauce:

• 6 oz can of tomato paste
• ½ lb ground beef, pan seared
• ¼ lb lamb, pan seared and diced or ground
• ½ lb tenderloin, pan seared and diced or ground
• ½ cup heavy cream or half and half
• ½ cup freshly ground parm
• 2-3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 TBSP chopped fresh basil
• Salt and pepper to taste

A PERFECT WALLA WALLA WINE PAIRING

Wine: 2019 Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Franc, 2019 Seven Hills Vineyard Carménère, or 2018 J&S Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Why it works: All three of these wines have beautiful fruit, great acidity, and soft tannins that pair nicely with this meaty red sauce.

ABOUT TODD BERNAVE

Todd Bernave is an Owner and Winemaker at Lagana Cellars in the Walla Walla Valley. “This recipe was inspired by the love I had for my Italian grandmother’s gnocchi,” says Todd. “My grandmother never had a recipe for her gnocchi – she did everything by experience and the texture of the dough. This is basically two different recipes to make one delicious meal. It is possible to do it all in one day, but it’s much easier if this is split between two separate days. Also, if you freeze the sauce and the gnocchi (uncooked), you have a fantastic meal ready to go at any time.”

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