Pan Roasted Gnocchi

Angelo Scolastra, Alberto’s mentor, was perhaps one of the best cooks I have ever met. After his wife Sandra passed away, Angelo’s daughter Luisa took the reins of the kitchen at Villa Roncalli. Today, she runs the kitchen with a tiny team of three ladies, preparing multicourse feasts eaten by candlelight. If you step into the kitchen, Luisa is a blur of activity under the steady gaze of her father, who looks down from a portrait above the door. I’ve never seen a measuring cup or a tablespoon. She cooks by feel, using her senses, and her heart. On a recent trip back, I saw her make gnocchi à la minute. I was blown away at how speedily she turned a pot of skinned boiled potatoes into a snake of gnocchi, then into bite-size pillows.

One of the cardinal rules of the Scolastra family is to use what you have. This recipe relies on the mushrooms foraged near Foligno, but you can use any that you find in a farmers’ market. The caramelization of the mushrooms and the crust of the pan roasted gnocchi are textural nuances brought to Alimentari by Chef Justin Smillie, bringing an entirely new sensation to this classic dish.

Serves 4

2 pounds large russet potatoes

1½ cups coarse sea salt

2 cups 00 flour, plus additional for rolling

1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus additional to taste

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, plus additional for finishing

8 ounces mixed wild mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and torn into large pieces

8 sage leaves, roughly torn

2 small shallots, finely diced

4 ounces grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus additional shavings for garnish

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the potatoes on a sheet pan covered in coarse sea salt. Roast for 45 minutes until fork tender. Allow to cool.

2. Peel the potatoes and pass through the finest setting of a ricer into a large bowl.

3. Spread the potatoes out on a lightly floured work surface. In a small bowl, mix the flour and the fine sea salt. Pour over the top of the potatoes. Drizzle the egg on top. Slowly cut into the dough with a bench scraper and continue until fully incorporated. Knead the mass gently until the outside is slightly crumbly, still aerated. Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a 24-inch-long rope about ½ inch thick. Cut into ¾- to 1-inch pieces, dust with flour, and arrange in a single layer on a lightly floured rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to the freezer for at least 3 hours, or overnight for best results.

4. Remove the gnocchi from the freezer, then prepare them in two batches (or two pans simultaneously). For each batch (or pan), heat 1 tablespoon each olive oil and butter over medium until shimmering. Once the butter begins to foam, add half of the gnocchi and cook untouched for 2 to 3 minutes. The tops will begin to rise like a soufflé and a golden brown crust will start to form. Add half of the mushrooms, sage, and shallots and toss gently for 2 minutes. Pour off the excess fat. Add a splash of water, 1 tablespoon butter, and half the Parmigiano, remove from heat, and toss until glazed.

5. Portion gently into four bowls, then top with the pepper to taste, and a few shavings of Parmigiano.