James Kenji Lopez-Alt
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No. 9 Park's Gnocchi with Peas and Mushrooms
🕑 Added 2023-12-31 12:31:48 +0000 UTCThis recipe is one that I cooked hundreds of times while I was on the pasta station at No.9 Park in Boston in the early 2000's . At the time this was a menu staple that never changed. There we made the gnocchi by hand, but at home I typically make it with store-bought gnocchi. It also works well with tubular pasta types like rigatoni or penne. The mushrooms and cream sauce can be made in advance and stored separately until ready to serve. Once you've got those in your fridge, the dish comes together in about as long as it takes to boil some pasta.
For the Cream Sauce:
- 1 pint (about 500ml) heavy cream
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and gently smashed
1. Combine the cream and garlic in a small saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to very low and cook, stirring every few minutes, until the cream is reduced to about 2/3rds its original volume. Be careful, as it can scald at the bottom of the pan if the heat is too high or you don't stir frequently enough. Strain out the garlic. The reduced cream can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
For the Roasted Mushrooms:
1 pound (450g) button or cremini mushrooms, washed, trimmed, and quartered
A couple tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 to 12 sprigs thyme or rosemary
1. Adjust an oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Toss the mushrooms with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread them out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and scatter the thyme or rosemary sprigs over them. Roast until the mushrooms are browned but still tender. This can vary a lot depending on how well air and moisture circulate in your oven, but around 30 to 45 minutes. Discard thyme or rosemary. The roasted mushrooms can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
For the Finished Dish:
Salt
1 recipe Cream Sauce
1 recipe Roasted Mushrooms
1 pound dry pasta or 1 1/2 pounds fresh gnocchi
1/2 cup frozen peas
A few tablespoons minced fresh chives
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat the cream sauce and mushrooms together in a large sauté pan. Season to taste with salt. Keep warm.
2. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving some of the pasta water. Add the pasta and frozen peas to the cream sauce and toss until the peas are thawed and the pasta is nicely coated in sauce. If the sauce is too loose, increase the heat and cook, stirring and tossing constantly, until the sauce is creamy and coats the pasta. If the sauce is too tight or breaks and turns greasy, add a few spoonfuls of the reserved pasta water and stir or toss rapidly until it re-emulsifies and turns creamy.
3. Stir in the chives, reserving some for garnish. Transfer to a warmed serving platter and sprinkle with the reserved chives. Serve immediately.
Note: If you want to go extra-decadent, add some chopped lobster or picked crab meat to the pan and toss to combine and warm the lobster or crab through just before adding the chives and serving.
Comments
Doris Yonker
I liked that you made a single serving. I cook for myself and it is interesting to note how to make one serving or maybe 2 or the whole thing and reserve all beyond the single serving to warm up later. Thank you!
Trystan Brock
Not Kenj, but I assume that was just a digital zoom. A zoom done while editing the video after the fact.
Rosie J
Love this! I'm a private chef and I'm going to do this for clients this week. Is this recipe for 6?
Bruce Kempton
Kenji, don't reveal your secrets, but I always imagine you're alone in the kitchen when you create. If I may, how did you get the zoom of the cream boiling over? Thanks.
Enrique Gutierrez
I don't usually keep heavy cream at hand in my kitchen. Which of these alternatives would fulfill the closest role in this dish? 1. Milk + butter 2. Greek yogurth + milk 3. Plant based milk + oil Or would making a thinner bechemel be the best approach instead?
Zack Lutz
Rosetta Costantino*
Zack Lutz
Zeppoli in Collingswood, NJ. 30ish seats, 12 tables. Basically the same menu for 12 years with rotating specials, with a subtle influence of South Philly Italian-American roots. Owned/headed by the same chef who has the members-only Palizzi Social Club in Philly. If you've checked out Rosetta Constantino's books, its similar-ish in style. I think about their seafood stew all the time. It's kinda like Bouillabaisse with moroccan couscous and north-african flavors. So sick.
James Kenji Lopez-Alt
It made me anxious watching the video too, hence the slow zoom haha
James Kenji Lopez-Alt
I'm glad you liked it, and now you have extra peas to look forward to with your next meal.
James Kenji Lopez-Alt
What was the place?
James Kenji Lopez-Alt
You're welcome!
James Kenji Lopez-Alt
It's this one! https://a.co/d/aziq9Sj
Tim Goodrich
I really appreciate you going into how to store and keep this meal going throughout the week. Plus it makes it easier to adapt to the picky eaters of the house. Now this has me thinking of all the other ingredients I could prep with this to make different dishes throughout the week. Thanks for the great video!
Matthew
So, the dish looks amazing. Definitely looking for an excuse to try it. That said… tell us about that tape dispenser you have attached to the wall. I’m intrigued.
Zack Lutz
I'm looking forward to trying this. At a great, perennially-Beard-nominated Sicilian place I worked at near Philadelphia, we did a gnocchi special with a gorgonzola cream sauce. People would complain about the portion size being too small until they realized it was so decadent that 4 or 5 pieces was more than enough - It was a crowd favorite and a banger of a special. I'm excited to cook this for nostalgia :)
Mohamed Moussa
Just made it for my family, was delicious. We love mushrooms so I doubled the amount ... and completely forgot the peas! I like how simple the cream sauce is.
James Kenji Lopez-Alt
I wish I could tell you! I've never tried the freezer stuff. I have used Napoleon and DeCecco shelf-stable stuff which is sold by the dried pasta. It's OK. Not amazing, but good enough.
Joe Palarchio
I've made gnocchi at home but definitely a bite of a process. For store-bought gnocchi, any preference between the stuff in the freezer and the stuff vac-packed in the aisles or is it basically the same?
Joe Palarchio
LOL. was watching that pot at 6:59 with so much anxiety and then the camera work after was perfectly on point!
Steve Sullivan
I am so making this tonight. Looks awesome, thank you!
James Kenji Lopez-Alt
Indeed, I'll fix that, thanks!
DVW
In the cream sauce instructions, I think you mean combine the cream and garlic?
