Parisian Gnocchi
This dish is considered humble fare, and one you would never see in a restaurant. Hence it's largely unknown to folks outside of France. Paule Caillat gave me her family recipe, to which I made a few changes (authorized, of course). The dumplings are made of pate a choux dough, similar to that used for profiteroles. They're partially cooked by poaching them first, then baking, where they'll puff up gloriously before settling down, waiting to be scooped up from under a blanket of browned cheese. This is a pretty rich dish; serve it with a simple green salad.
This dish is considered humble fare, and one you would never see in a restaurant. Hence it's largely unknown to folks outside of France. Paule Caillat gave me her family recipe, to which I made a few changes (authorized, of course). The dumplings are made of pate a choux dough, similar to that used for profiteroles. They're partially cooked by poaching them first, then baking, where they'll puff up gloriously before settling down, waiting to be scooped up from under a blanket of browned cheese. This is a pretty rich dish; serve it with a simple green salad.
- 1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups (310ml) water
- 7 tablespoons (3 1/2 ounces/100g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cups (175g) all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons (2 1/2 ounces/70g) salted or unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup (45g) all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (750ml) whole or low-fat milk, warmed
- generous pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 3/4 cups (140g) grated swiss-style cheese, such as emmenthal, gruyã¨re, or comtã©
- 1/3 cup (1 ounce/30g) freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Carbohydrate 36 g(12%)
- Cholesterol 216 mg(72%)
- Fat 36 g(55%)
- Fiber 1 g(4%)
- Protein 21 g(41%)
- Saturated Fat 21 g(107%)
- Sodium 662 mg(28%)
- Calories 549
Step-by-step
- To make the pate a choux, heat the water, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a saucepan over medium heat just until the butter is melted. Dump in all the flour at once and stir the mixture briskly for about 2 minutes, until the dough forms a smooth ball. Remove from the heat and scrape the dough into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (If you don't have a stand mixer, simply leave it in the bowl.) Let the dough sit for 3 minutes, stirring it every so often to release some of the heat.
- With the mixer on medium-high speed, add the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next. Add the dry mustard and beat until the dough is completely smooth. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and set aside.
- To make the mornay sauce, melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, letting the mixture bubble, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, until the paste is thickened. (Don't let it brown.) Gradually whisk in the milk, beginning slowly and stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
- Decrease the heat to low and cook the mornay for 6 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the sauce is about as thick as a milkshake. Remove from heat and add the salt, cayenne, and 1/2 cup (40g) of the Swiss-style grated cheese; stir until the cheese is melted.
- Butter a shallow 2 1/2- to 3-quart (2.5 to 3l) baking dish. (A wide dish is preferable to a deep one for browning the cheese topping.) Sprinkle half of the Parmesan over the bottom and sides. Spread 1 cup (250ml) of the mornay sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.
- Line a large dinner plate with a few layers of paper towels. Bring a pot of salted water to a low boil. Either using two soupspoons—one to scoop up some of the dough and the other to scrape it into the boiling water—or a spring-loaded ice cream scoop filled partially full, scoop a round of the dough—about 1 generous tablespoon each—and drop it into the water. (The ice cream scoop was a little newfangled for Paule, although she did agree—reluctantly—that it was more expedient and made nicer gnocchi.) Working in batches, poach 8 to 10 gnocchi at a time. Let them poach for 2 minutes, then retrieve them from the water and drain them on the paper towels. (They won't be fully cooked inside.) Repeat, poaching the rest of the gnocchi the same way.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) with the oven rack in the top third of the oven.
- Once the gnocchi are parcooked, place them in a single layer on top of the mornay in the baking dish, and then spoon the rest of the mornay over the gnocchi in a fairly even layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/4 cups (100g) of Swiss-style cheese over the top, along with the remaining Parmesan. Put the baking dish on a foil-covered baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 400ºF (200ºC) and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese on top is well browned. Let cool a few minutes, and then serve in the baking dish, family style.
Parisian Gnocchi: A Simple French Delight
As a busy professional juggling meetings and deadlines, finding time for elaborate cooking often feels like a luxury I can’t afford. Yet, I crave delicious, comforting meals that satisfy my palate without demanding hours in the kitchen. That's where this Parisian Gnocchi recipe comes in. It's a revelation – a dish that feels both sophisticated and surprisingly simple, perfect for a weeknight dinner or a relaxed weekend meal.
The beauty of this recipe lies in its unexpected simplicity. It's not the kind of dish you’d find on a fancy Parisian restaurant menu; it’s the kind of humble fare passed down through generations, a treasured family secret. The creamy mornay sauce, the perfectly puffed gnocchi, the browned cheese topping – each element contributes to a harmonious symphony of flavors and textures that elevates this dish far beyond its humble origins.
I discovered this recipe through a friend, a fellow foodie who had inherited it from her grandmother. I was immediately captivated by its elegance and ease. The gnocchi, made with a simple choux pastry base, are surprisingly easy to make, despite their elegant appearance. The most time-consuming part is the poaching process, but even that is straightforward, particularly if you enlist the aid of an ice cream scoop, as suggested in the original recipe. It's a clever trick that makes the entire process incredibly streamlined.
What truly makes this dish memorable is the interplay of flavors and textures. The light and airy gnocchi provide a lovely contrast to the rich, creamy mornay sauce. The generously browned cheese topping adds a delightful salty crunch, while a simple green salad on the side provides a refreshing counterpoint to the richness of the main course. The overall effect is both satisfying and surprisingly light, despite the generous use of cheese.
I often adapt this recipe to suit my needs and mood. Adding diced ham or bacon elevates it into a heartier meal, perfect for a chilly evening. I’ve also experimented with adding sautéed greens underneath the gnocchi, a delicious variation that adds a fresh, peppery bite. The versatility of this dish is one of its greatest strengths. It's a blank canvas onto which you can paint your own culinary masterpieces.
This Parisian Gnocchi is more than just a recipe; it's an experience. It's a journey into the heart of French home cooking, a testament to the magic that can be created with simple ingredients and a touch of culinary creativity. It's a dish that transports me to a cozy kitchen in Paris, filled with the warmth of family and the intoxicating aroma of melting cheese. It's a dish that I am delighted to share with you, hoping that it will bring the same joy to your kitchen as it has brought to mine.
So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and embark on a culinary adventure. Create a little bit of Parisian magic in your own kitchen with this simple yet elegant dish. You won't be disappointed.
