Gnocchi Italiano

Gnocchi are thick dumplings.
They may be made from semolina, ordinary wheat flour, flour and egg, flour, egg, and cheese, potato, breadcrumbs, or similar ingredients. They are Italian in origin, however you will find them in various guises all over the world, from Croatia to South America.

The potato dumpling variant that we are using today is probably the most recent innovation yet would still date back to the 16^th century.

These potato gnocchi are available in all supermarkets, vacuum packed and reasonably priced. They are usually used as a starter or main course to replace pasta, so feel free to do a variant on the sauce I give you here based on your own preference of pasta sauces.
Ingredients

Serves 4

1 packet of potato Gnocchi
¼ red onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
125g pancetta (grilled bacon will work either)
75g frozen petit pois (cover with boiling water and leave sit while cooking dish)
150g mascarpone cheese
½ pint stock
80oz white wine
1 tablespoon olive oil

Method

Cook Gnocchi according to packet instructions, meanwhile,
Heat the oil in a pan, sauté the onion for 2 minutes until it is cooked through and browning a little
Add the garlic and cook to release the aroma, about 30/40 seconds
Remove onions and garlic from pan
Add pancetta (or bacon if using) and cook through
Return onion mixture to the pan
Add the white wine and let it reduce, deglazing the pan
Add the stock
Stir in the mascarpone cheese
Drain the petit pois and add them to the sauce
Gently stir together and leave to simmer gently for 20 mins allowing all the flavours to infuse together
When ready to serve add the gnocchi and gently coat with the sauce
Serve immediately with a fresh green salad and some homemade garlic bread!

I'd love to know how you get on so please don't be afraid to comment or ask any questions below.

Enjoy!