Potato gnocchi is a dumpling that is most often made of
potatoes and flour. They are a great
pasta substitute, with its ability to soak up almost any sauce and its chewy
texture. Potato gnocchi is available in
the refrigerated pasta section of most grocery stores so it makes for a quick
meal. Or you can make your own like
Sarah did here.
Giada de Laurentiis made this recipe on the Today Show last
year. I happened to see this recently
and immediately said I had to make it. It looked so yummy! She tends to make this dish as a macaroni and cheese substitute. After making it, I can see how this rich and
creamy dish can be an easy stand-in for the comfort food favorite.
Clearly this isn’t very healthy with all of the cream and
cheese. I lightened it up slightly by
using half and half instead of heavy cream (which is what the original recipe
calls for). It was so rich that I still
think I could cut back some of the fat by subbing some milk. Some other minor modifications I made was to
use chicken stock instead of broth, adding more seasoning, and topping with
Italian seasoning. Personally, if you're on a diet, I recommend just cutting back the portion instead of the fat because it's worth every bit of it!
Baked Gnocchi
*slightly modified
from Giada de Laurentiis
2-17oz packages potato gnocchi
3c half and half
1c chicken stock
¼ c flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp grated nutmeg
12 oz baby spinach
1/3 c crumbled goat cheese
½ c grated Parmesan
½ tsp Italian seasoning
Preheat oven to 400F.
Place gnocchi in a 13x9” baking dish lightly coated in cooking
spray. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the half and half,
chicken stock, and flour over medium heat.
Continue whisking until the sauce is simmering and thickened, about 5
mins. Add the salt, pepper, and
nutmeg. Stir and taste for
seasoning. Add seasoning as needed. Add spinach and toss to coat in the sauce.
Note: I only had about
8 or 9 oz of spinach at home so I used what I had. Therefore, the pictures may be a little
lighter on spinach than what yours would be at home. Next time I will definitely ensure I have
enough spinach because it adds a flavor element and at least one healthy element
to the dish.
Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the gnocchi and spread
spinach out evenly. Top with goat cheese,
Parmesan, and Italian seasoning. Bake until
top is lightly golden, about 30 mins.
