Pancetta Gnocchi With Bolognese Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Boil the potatoes until fork tender (not mushy). As soon as they are done, remove from the water and place in a dish. Remove the skin from the potatoes using a sharp knife or fork. Cut the potatoes into pieces and process the peeled, hot potatoes through a food mill using the medium disk.
• Place a mound of flour, about 2 1/2 cups to start, on your work surface (a floured board). Place all of the processed potatoes on top of the flour. Knead the flour/potato mixture with your hands until the dough is smooth; free of lumps, but yet still a little sticky. This recipe does not lend itself to making the dough in the food processor or mixer. Keep adding flour as necessary to obtain the desired consistency. The amount of the flour needed depends on how much water is in the potatoes, the moisture in the air, etc. Sometimes it can take up to 4 cups to obtain the right consistency. Keep kneading until it is right.
• After kneading the dough, place it under a dry kitchen towel to keep it warm. Immediately start making the gnocchi. This dough must be used right away. Cut a small piece off of the dough. Roll the piece into a "log" that is approximately 12 to 16 inches long. The log should be about 1/2-inch in diameter. You do not want it too wide or the gnocchi get too "fat." Cut the "log" into pieces about 1-inch long. You will end up with about 12 to16 gnocchi per log. The next step is to form the gnocchi.
• Take a fork in your left hand (if you are right handed), and hold it straight up with the tines facing towards the ceiling. With your index finger of your right hand, take 1 piece of gnocchi (the 1-inch pieces that you cut above), and starting at the top of the fork, roll the piece down the inside tine of the fork. This should be done with firm pressure (not too firm as to smash the gnocchi, but firm enough to roll the piece down the fork and leave an indentation on the gnocchi). When you get to the base of the tines, release the gnocchi and let it drop to a floured tray. The "completed" gnocchi should be marked with the fork tines on 1 side of it and have a slight indentation from your index finger on the other side of it. This shape and marking allow the pasta to "catch" the sauce when you serve it.
• Proceed with all of the dough and make each piece as directed. This goes very fast once you get the hang of it. Let the pasta sit on the floured trays on you counter until ready to serve. However, serving time should be within 4 to 5 hours of making the gnocchi. Otherwise they will dry out and get tough.
• To serve, boil the gnocchi in lots of boiling, salted water. As soon as the pasta rises to the top, it is done. (This is also very quick). Drain the cooked gnocchi in a colander or strainer. Place the cooked pasta in a serving platter and top/mix with the sauce.
• Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the chopped pancetta, red pepper flakes and parsley. Cook until the pancetta is cooked through and is slightly brown. Add the garlic; cook for another 2 minutes.
• Process the tomatoes with their juice in the food processor. Pulse the tomatoes briefly until they are coarsely chopped. You do not want them to puree. Add to the cooked ingredients in the saucepan. Add salt to taste. Continue cooking on a low simmer for about 1 hour until the sauce has reduced and is somewhat thicker. You can keep cooking this for up to 3 hours. The longer you cook it, the thicker and richer it becomes. If you cook it too long, add water to reduce the thickness and you reach the desired consistency.

Steps:

• Cover the dried porcini mushrooms with 1 1/2 C of boiling water and allow to sit for 20 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and reserve the liquid. Rinse the mushrooms to rid them of any dirt and finely chop.
• Place large heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Add 2 Tbl of olive oil and the pancetta. Cook for 2 minutes until pancetta starts to brown. Add the onion, celery and carrots, cooking for 5 minutes more until the vegetables start to soften. Add the ancho pepper, garlic and porcini mushrooms. Season with a little salt and cook until vegetables are soft. Remove the vegetables and set aside.
• Using the same pan, heat the remaining 2 Tbl of olive oil. Add the skirt steak and ground pork. Season with salt and black pepper. Cook over medium high heat until the meat begins to brown, about 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium and add the vegetables, wine, bay leaves and thyme. Cook until the liquid evaporates and the mixture begins to brown. Be sure to scrape the brown glaze off of the bottom of the pan. Add 1 cup of the porcini liquid, half of the veal stock and the tomato paste. Cook at a slow simmer, partially covered until liquid begins to thicken. The next few steps take 30 - 40 minutes and are what gives the sauce a rich texture and depth of flavor. Add milk, 2 TBL at a time, stirring the sauce well to incorporate. Continue to cook the sacue gently, adding a few tablespoons of milk when needed. Reduce until the sacue begins to brown again. Add the remaining porcini liquid an dveal stock, stirring and scraping well. The sauce is done when its texture is velvety and the meat is completely tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• To make the gnocchi, combine the garlic, pancetta and butter in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until the mixture becomes creamy in texture. IN a separate bowl, mix the bread crumbs, flour and 1/2 C of the Parmesan cheese. Transfer to a work surface and shape into a mound. Make a hollow in the center of the mound. Put the garlic and pancetta mixture into the hollow and add the nutmeg, eggs and season with salt and black pepper. Draw the sides of the mound together and knead until it is well mixed. Cut into four equal pieces. Lightly flour the work surface. Using your hands, roll the gnocchi dough out into long thin trips about 1/2 inch in diameter. Then, using a paring knife cut into 1 inch pieces. Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer. Add gnocchi and cook until they return to the surface, about 4 minutes. Strain through a colander and serve with the bolegnese sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese.

Steps:

• Preheat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. In batches, add the mushrooms in a single layer and cook until the moisture releases, 5 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle with kosher salt to taste. Flip the mushrooms and add a drizzle of olive oil and continue cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining mushrooms. Remove the final batch of mushrooms from the pan and add the guanciale and a drizzle of olive oil. Reduce the heat to low and cook until golden brown and crispy, 5 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the guanciale and set aside, but keep the fat in the pan. Add the onions, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium-high heat until translucent, 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Add in the cooked mushrooms.
• To a large bowl, add the ricotta, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan and 1/2 cup grated pecorino and mix to combine. Stir in the flour and eggs and mix until the dough comes together. It shouldn't be too wet. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface that's dusted with flour. Gently knead the dough, adding flour until it's no longer sticky and form it into a log. Sprinkle some flour onto a half sheet tray. Cut a small portion from the log of dough with a bench scraper and roll the dough into a long snake shape. Cut the dough into 1/2-inch pieces and toss in flour. Place them on the prepared sheet tray in a single layer.
• Set up a large pot of boiling water and season generously with salt. Add the gnocchi and cook until they're puffy and rise to the top of the water, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the gnocchi and place directly into the sauce. Add a ladle of pasta water and toss to combine. Add in most of the crispy guanciale (leave some extra for garnish) and the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan and 2 tablespoons of pecorino. Add a nice big fat drizzle of finishing oil and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the remaining crispy guanciale, more Parmesan, pecorino and the chives.

Steps:

• Cook the gnocchi following pack instructions, then drain. Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp of the oil in a small pan and fry the garlic, then add the cream and a good grating of nutmeg. Put to one side.
• Heat 2 tsp of the remaining oil in a frying pan and cook the pancetta until crisp. Add the gnocchi and fry until it starts to turn golden, adding a little more oil if it begins to stick. Stir in the spinach, lemon zest and seasoning.
• Stir the Parmesan into the cream sauce. Spoon the gnocchi onto plates, drizzle over the sauce and scatter with pine nuts. Serve with extra Parmesan.

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet and sauté the onion till golden. Add the mince and brown it in batches by tossing it with the onion.
• Add the rest of the ingredients except the wine and allow the sauce to simmer and thicken for at least 20 minutes.
• Next, add the wine and continue to simmer the sauce.
• Meanwhile cook 500 grams (1 pound) of gnocchi until 'al dente' in a pot of boiling water.
• Serve the gnocchi with a generous ladle or two of the bolognese sauce and top with mozzarella, if desired.