Ristorante Fiore

Sometimes, late at night, I'll get the craving.  It will creep up out of nowhere and with little warning.  I might be watching some tv or reading a cookbook and it will strike.  Gnocchi!

It seems recently I find myself being sort of a gnocchi connoisseur.  If its on a menu at a restaurant, you can bet I'm gonna try it.  While I've had my fair share of gnocchi, I think one of my favorites is the Gnocchi al Pomodoro from Ristorante Fiore (http://www.ristorantefiore.com/about-us.php) in the North End, right on Hanover Street.  While you sit in a noisy restaurant full of laughing and people just genuinely enjoying themselves, the gnocchi sits before you, delicately blanketed by the classic saucy tomato, basil and Parmesan trio, begging you to take a taste.  Upon first bite, you teeth gently sink into a fluffy cloud of soft potatoey yumminess.  It's just a simple, fresh and clean taste.  So pure.  The way gnocchi should be.  

I'll admit, I like to go to Ristorante Fiore quite a bit, especially in the summer time because they offer the only roof deck dining and bar in the North End, and it's pretty sizable by city standards.  Just be sure to get there early so that you can secure a seat.  On a steamy summer night, there is nothing quite as refreshing as sitting outside, sipping a cold beverage and a giant plate of Gnocchi Pomodoro in front of you.  I'm pretty sure that is the actual definition of perfection.

Sweet Gnocchi Goodness

This rainy Sunday's kitchen endeavors were sparked by my most recent bedside cookbook reading, "Stir" by Southie's own Barbara Lynch. An amazing book splattered with one tantalizing recipe after another. From basic and simple apps and sauces to fancier fare (foie gras sauces, anyone?) Lynch nailed the American-Italian-French fare and left me wanting to recreate her magic.

And so I did.

Tonight's conquest was the somewhat recreation of Lynch's sweet, heavenly and oh so light gnocchi (made a'la Katie, of course). After some failed attempts at this Italian staple, I think I finally did it. I also made a tangy Marsala sauce to blanket my little gnocchi pillows and topped it all with some buttery Manchego cheese, crisp basil and crunchy prosciutto. This dish packed a flavorful punch with all of the textures playing well off each other. Recipe is below but please note, rules and measurements don't belong in my kitchen so my approximations might be off.

For the gnocchi-

2 medium Russet potatoes

1 large egg, room temperature

~1-1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

For the Marsala Sauce-

5-6 button mushrooms, sliced thinly

~2 tbs. Dijon mustard
~1/2 c. Marsala wine

~1/2 tsp. dried rosemary

pepper to taste

butter for the pan

Toppings-

Fresh basil, sliced thinly

Finely grated Manchego cheese

1-2 slices prosciutto, fried until crispy

To start, boil whole potatoes in salted water until tender. Take them out of the water and let them sit until they are cool enough to handle. Peel the skins and mash the potatoes using either a ricer or hand blender. I used a hand blender and thought they came out well. Place potato mixture on floured wax paper. Keep needing flour in by the 1/4 cup fulls. Make a well and add egg in the middle. Need well to combine. Dough should be slightly sticky.

Meanwhile, fry mushrooms in buttered pan. Add Marsala wine and cook down until the wine is reduced by half. Add rosemary and fresh black pepper. Combine the Dijon mustard and keep warm.

Moving back to the gnocchi, take a palm-ful of the dough and roll it out snakelike. Cut the gnocchi into 1 inch pieces and drop into salted boiling water. Boil until the gnocchi float, then cook them an additional 2 minutes. Transfer the gnocchi to a butter and Olive Oiled pan and cook until they brown. (I added this step because I like the slight crunch this step creates).

Plate the gnocchi and pour Marsala sauce on top. Add shredded basil and manchego cheese and top with fried prosciutto..enjoy!