Ricotta Gnocchi and Filet Mignon with Brown Butter and Mushrooms
Prep Time: 1 hour including dough prep
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2 with leftover Gnocchi
We are trying to get back into making homemade pasta again since we dropped off a little after the summer ended so Lee decided to try a Gnocchi recipe. Adapted from this recipe, we also paired the Gnocchi with steaks but you can omit the meat if you want to keep it simple. However, the Brown Butter is really rich (and delicious!) so you might want to add some toasted garlic bread to soak up the sauce and wipe that plate clean!
Gnocchi Ingredients
1 1/3 cups Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup flour plus 2 tablespoons
(also extra for dusting)3 egg yolks
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves
10 ounces shiitake mushrooms
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
20 or so sage leaves, small and whole
Steak Ingredients
12 ounces Filet Mignon (2 medallions)2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves
coarse kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Place steaks on a plate and allow them to come to room temperature. Sprinkle generously with coarse kosher salt and black pepper. The coarse pepper should cover the steaks completely as well as the sides.
Add Parmesan cheese and parsley to a bowl and set aside. Add ricotta to a medium bowl and use a fork to smooth out lumps. Pour flour over ricotta and use the fork to mix and remove the lumps. Pour in egg yolks and use your hands to gently mix the flour and eggs together. Sprinkle with black pepper and add in Parmesan and parsley. Continue to mix together until a dough forms.
On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for a minute or two until it easily makes a ball. Add a tiny bit more flour if the dough is sticky. Don’t add too much; the dough should be just a little sticky so the gnocchi will come out fluffy. Place the ball of dough into the bowl you mixed it in and let it sit in the fridge for an hour. Note: Dough can be made the day before and refrigerated overnight.
After at least one hour, remove dough from the fridge and slightly flatten it with your palm. Cut it into 4 portions that are about even. Lightly flour a large baking sheet and set aside. This is where you will place your gnocchi once you cut it. Prepare to work on a lightly floured surface where you can also make cuts. Roll each portion into a “rope”. Cut each rope in half and continue to roll each half until the ropes are about 1/2 an inch thick. (4 portions, should render 8 ropes equal in length and width). Use a knife to cut each rope into 1-inch pieces. Put the pieces on the floured baking tray and place the tray in the fridge.
Add salt to a large pot of water and place over high heat to bring to a boil. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Place a small saucepan over medium heat and add butter. Allow the butter to cook until it turns a golden brown. It will bubble a lot at first. Use a spoon to skim as much white foam off the top and edges as you can while it cooks and settles down. It should smell nutty. Once the butter is slightly brown (about 4 minutes after it melts) add the sage and cook for another 2 minutes, adjusting the heat if necessary to keep the butter from burning. Remove from heat and set aside.
Wipe the mushrooms gently with a wet paper towel. Discard tough or large stems, and slice into 1/4-inch thick pieces. Heat olive oil over medium heat In a large skillet with the crushed garlic cloves. Remove and discard garlic after it turns golden. Add the mushrooms and cook on medium-high heat, stirring often. After 3 minutes, turn the heat to low/
Pour brown butter and sage sauce into the mushrooms and stir to combine.
Once the salted water boils, add the gnocchi in 2 batches. Move the gnocchi with a slotted spoon directly to the sauce when all pieces have floated up to the surface, this takes about 2 minutes.
Stir gnocchi, butter, and mushrooms gently to coat with butter sauce. Taste and season with coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat olive oil and two crushed garlic cloves in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once golden, remove, and discard garlic. For medium-rare (the center should register 140° F on a cooking thermometer), cook steaks about 2 minutes per side, searing them until a crust forms. (Finish them in the oven If you prefer them medium to well-done.) Let them sit for 5 to 10 minutes
To Serve
Place steaks on two separate plates and spoon gnocchi on top. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
