Perfect Pairings: VIlla di Azzano, 2006, Friuli, Italy, 352644

Homemade Gnocchi in a Gorgonzola Sauce

gorgonzola sauce

2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup of cream cheese
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup freshly chopped parsley

gnocchi

2 lbs whole baking potatoes
2 beaten egg yolks
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup flour
extra flour for rolling out dough

gorgonzola sauce

1. Roast or sauté garlic in olive oil until tender.

2. Put garlic, cream cheese, heavy cream, gorgonzola, salt and ground pepper in blender and blend until smooth.

3. Pour in saucepan over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly so no sticking.

4. Prepare gnocchi and pour cheese sauce over gnocchi and top with chopped parsley.

gnocchi

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Pierce the potatoes with a fork several times. This will allow the moisture to escape during baking. Place the potatoes in the overn and bak for 1 hour or until tender.

3. When done, remove from oven and place on rack. Slice potatoes in half to release more moisture. Cool slightly and then scoop out the insides of the potatoes.

4. Put the filling through a potato ricer into a large bowl. If you do not have a ricer, mash the potatoes with a fork until lumps are gone.

5. Add 1 cup flour slowly, egg yolks, and salt. Mix by hand gently until all ingredients are incorporated into a nice dough ball. DO NOT OVERMIX. The dough should fell dry, not sticky. It is very easy to work with and very forgiving.

6. Dust flour on the work area and take a piece of the dough and roll it out gently with your hands until it is a cylinder about 1/2 of an inch in diameter. Once again, be gentle, not using a lot of pressure. You want to roll from the center outward.

7. Using a sharp knife, cut the cylinder into 1 inch long pieces.

8. With a fork, create ridges in the gnocchi. These are great for holding the sauce. There is really no correct way to do this. You can also just press your thumb into the center. It serves the same purpose. You can freeze the gnocchi at this time.

9. In a pot of salted boiling water, gently drop the gnocchi, a few at a time. As soon as they rise to the top, the gnocchi are done. Remove with a slotted spoon, draining well and place on a warm dish. Continue cooking the desired amount of gnocchi in same manner, pour on sauce, top with chopped fresh parsley and serve.

to freeze the gnocchi

As the gnocchi are made, place them on a cookie pan, lightly dusted with flour or lined with waxed paper. Place in freezer until frozen and then place in a freezer bag. Store in freezer until needed and cook in same manner.







					Homemade Gnocchi in a Gorgonzola Sauce gorgonzola sauce 2 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup of cream cheese 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola 1/2 teaspoon sea salt Freshly ground pepper 1/2 cup freshly chopped parsley gnocchi 2 lbs whole baking potatoes 2 beaten egg yolks 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 cup flour extra flour for rolling out dough gorgonzola sauce 1. Roast or sauté garlic in olive oil until tender. 2. Put garlic, cream cheese, heavy cream, gorgonzola, salt and ground pepper in blender and blend until smooth. 3. Pour in saucepan over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly so no sticking. 4. Prepare gnocchi and pour cheese sauce over gnocchi and top with chopped parsley. gnocchi 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Pierce the potatoes with a fork several times. This will allow the moisture to escape during baking. Place the potatoes in the overn and bak for 1 hour or until tender. 3. When done, remove from oven and place on rack. Slice potatoes in half to release more moisture. Cool slightly and then scoop out the insides of the potatoes. 4. Put the filling through a potato ricer into a large bowl. If you do not have a ricer, mash the potatoes with a fork until lumps are gone. 5. Add 1 cup flour slowly, egg yolks, and salt. Mix by hand gently until all ingredients are incorporated into a nice dough ball. DO NOT OVERMIX. The dough should fell dry, not sticky. It is very easy to work with and very forgiving. 6. Dust flour on the work area and take a piece of the dough and roll it out gently with your hands until it is a cylinder about 1/2 of an inch in diameter. Once again, be gentle, not using a lot of pressure. You want to roll from the center outward. 7. Using a sharp knife, cut the cylinder into 1 inch long pieces. 8. With a fork, create ridges in the gnocchi. These are great for holding the sauce. There is really no correct way to do this. You can also just press your thumb into the center. It serves the same purpose. You can freeze the gnocchi at this time. 9. In a pot of salted boiling water, gently drop the gnocchi, a few at a time. As soon as they rise to the top, the gnocchi are done. Remove with a slotted spoon, draining well and place on a warm dish. Continue cooking the desired amount of gnocchi in same manner, pour on sauce, top with chopped fresh parsley and serve. to freeze the gnocchi As the gnocchi are made, place them on a cookie pan, lightly dusted with flour or lined with waxed paper. Place in freezer until frozen and then place in a freezer bag. Store in freezer until needed and cook in same manner.



	Villa di Azzano • 2006 • Tocai Italico • 352644 Grape: Tocai Italico (soon to be Friulano) appearance - bright and clear color : light golden aroma - subtle flavors (smell + taste) sweetness - medium dry acidity - defined oak characteristics - ash fruit characteristics - grapefruit • honeysuckle earth characteristics - hay • flint body - medium tannins - serving notes - drink cold, the acidity cuts through the creamy sauce				• Italy is famous for their food friendly white wines and the Villa di Azzano Tocai Italico is no exception. • Cheeses like gorgonzola and roquefort are often tricky pairing partners. The characteristic mold gives the cheeses an earthy bite. By looking at the ViniCode™ you can see that this wine matches that earthiness and will complement it nicely. • The acidity in the Tocai will cut through the creaminess of the sauce and balance it. • As a side note, in 2008 the European Union ruled that the name “Tocai” is the protected property of Hungary, much like Champagne is in France. So in the future this grape will go by the name Friulano in Italy.