Ocean Clams and Gnocchi with Pancetta Gorgonzola Sauce
Ingredients:
- 2 15-ounce cans Sea Watch Whole Ocean Clams
- 1/2 cup of reserved clam juice
Sauce:
- 8 oz. Pancetta, diced, or 1/4-inch thick-sliced bacon, diced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup Gorgonzola cheese (about 3 ounces), cubed
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Gnocchi:
- 3 large russet potatoes, about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup additional all purpose flour, as needed
Method:
- Drain clams, Reserving 1/2 cup of the liquid. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot with enough cold water to cover.
- Bring the water to a boil and cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are easily pierced but the skins are not split, about 30 minutes.
- (The potatoes can also be baked in a preheated 400\'a1F oven until tender, about 40 minutes.)
- While potatoes are still as hot as possible, peel potato skins and press through a ricer.
- (The hotter the potatoes are when they are peeled and riced, the lighter the gnocchi will be.)
- Let cool completely.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg, salt, pepper, and nutmeg together.
- Gather the cooled potatoes into a mound and form a well in the center.
- Pour the egg mixture into the well.
- Sift 1 1/2 cups flour over potato mixture; stir to combine.
- Knead gently to form a smooth but slightly sticky dough.
- Do not overwork or the gnocchi will not be fluffy.
- Dust the dough, your hands, and the work surface lightly with some of the remaining \'df our.
- Divide dough into 8 pieces.
- Roll each piece on work surface into 1/2-inch-thick rope.
- Cut dough into 1-inch lengths and make grooves in each piece with fork, dropping them onto a kitchen towel-lined baking sheet.
- Cook or freeze right away.
- Cook bacon until crisped, in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Remove with a splotted spoon and set aside.
- Reserving 1 tablespoon of fat, add cream and reserved clam juice to skillet and, whisking, bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Reduce by about a third, until slightly thickened.
- Reduce heat.
- Add Gorgonzola, whisking until melted.
- Keep warm.
- Just before serving, bring sauce back to a simmer.
- Add clams and bacon and toss just long enough to heat through.
- Cook (fresh or frozen prepared) gnocchi in large pot of boiling salted water in batches until gnocchi are tender and rise to surface, about 5 minutes.
- Using slotted spoon, transfer cooked gnocchi to skillet and toss to coat with sauce.
- Transfer to platter.
- Sprinkle with parsley.
- Serve immediately.
Makes 16 first-course, 8 main course servings.
2 pounds of prepared gnocchi can be substituted.
