Making Killer Gnocchi Is Way Cheaper than an Italian Vacation

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Food

Making Killer Gnocchi Is Way Cheaper than an Italian Vacation

A touch of pancetta and some thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms kicks things up into truly celestial territory.

Gnocchi looks hard to make. The mysteriously delicate, potato-y puffs seem like they must be the result of some sort of sleight of hand—not a pedestrian, step-by-step recipe. But Gabriel Rucker of Le Pigeon in Portland, Oregon fame is here to tell you that gnocchi can be a no-fail endeavor—and one that will have your friends and family mighty impressed with your ability to channel your inner nonna. What's more, this isn't the kind of recipe that requires you to have the manual dexterity of an angelic creature akin to one of Raphael's cherubs. Nope, you can get down and dirty with these gnocchi and they will fare all the better for it. But gnocchi without a great sauce is no gnocchi at all, right? Being that Rucker proudly calls himself "the creamiest guy in Portland," he coats the gnocchi in heavy cream and adds plenty of raclette and grated Parmesan cheese to the dish. Throughout Rucker's time in the MUNCHIES test kitchen, he continually told everyone within earshot that he "fucking loves a cream sauce." A touch of pancetta and some thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms kicks things up into truly celestial territory.

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RECIPE: No-Fail Potato Gnocchi "I wouldn't say this is delicate," Rucker says, "but nothing in the dish is fighting for dominance in your mouth."

Master these gnocchi and your friends will be calling you maestro.