This decadent gnocchi is pillowy, soft, airy, and finished with a warm and creamy sauce. They are then garnished with crispy prosciutto, which adds the perfect salty and textured balance.
Ingredients:
Plantain Gnocchi
1 large yellow plantain
1 Yukon potato
Pinch of nutmeg, salt & pepper
1/4 cup of ricotta
1/3 cup of 00 Flour
Prosciutto Cream Sauce
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of garlic
2 oz or 1/3 cup of prosciutto
3 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
3/4 cup of parmesan cheese - grated
Instructions:
Plantain Gnocchi
Bring 3 cups of water and salt to a boil on medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, peel the plantain and potato and cut them into quarters.
Boil for about 15 minutes or until the potato is tender.
Once tender, remove the plantain and potato from the pot and add them to the bowl. Use a potato ricer or a fork to mash them. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and mix once more. Let it cool for about 15 minutes.
Place the plantain/potato mixture on a floured surface. Make a well in the center of the dough, and then add the ricotta.
Slowly add in the flour, about a spoonful at a time, until a dough forms.
Knead for about 2 minutes. When the dough is finished, it should be slightly tacky and smooth but not too sticky.
Transfer the dough to a clean and floured work surface and divide the dough into two pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 1 inch thick. Lightly dust ropes with flour so that when you cut them, they don't stick.
Cut the ropes into ½ inch pillows and transfer them to a lined baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add salt.
Prosciutto Cream Sauce
Heat a pan with olive oil on medium heat.
Give the prosciutto a rough chop and then add it to the pan once the oil is heated.
Crisp up the prosciutto - about 2-4 minutes.
Remove the prosciutto from the pan. Keep the pan on medium heat and add the minced garlic.
Sauté the garlic for about two minutes, and then add the heavy cream.
Allow the heavy cream to reach a slight boil, be sure to observe this because you don't want the heavy cream to bubble over.
Once it reaches a slight boil, turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg to the sauce. Taste, and add more seasoning if necessary. Constantly stir the cream sauce to avoid burning.
Meanwhile, once the cream sauce begins to thicken, boil the gnocchi for about two minutes or until they start to puff up and float to the top.
Add the parmesan cheese to the cream sauce to finish.
To know if the sauce is complete, do a spoon test to gauge the correct consistency of the sauce. Dip the spoon in the sauce, then trace a line across the spoon. If the line remains visible, then your sauce is finished.
Remove the gnocchi from the boiling water and immediately combine it with the cream sauce. Turn off the heat. Garnish with prosciutto, parsley, and a pinch of pepper and serve!
Optional:
Toast the gnocchi before boiling it for added texture.
Prosciutto substitutions: Maitake mushrooms, ground sausage.