Chef Massimo Covello, Natale’s cousin, likes to keep things simple in the kitchen, relying on the quality and flavor of the best seasonal ingredients he can find. When chanterelles are in season, he cooks with the findings of mushroom foraging friends, making up for any lack of numbers with frequent trips to the farmers’ market. Preparation is simple—a quick sauté with garlic, olive oil and thyme, plus plenty of salt and pepper, are the only ingredients needed to transform delicate chanterelles into a perfect companion for light-as-a-feather homemade gnocchi.
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes (about 4 pounds), peeled and cut into quarters
- 3 ounces spinach (about 3 cups)
- 2 eggs
- 3⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- About 1 tablespoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 12 ounces fresh chanterelles, brushed clean
- 2 cloves garlic, cut into julienne
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- Grated Pecorino Crotonese, for serving
Preparation
To make the gnocchi, bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and boil until tender, about 22 minutes. Drain and let rest for 15 minutes, then pass through a ricer into a bowl. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the spinach. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Add the spinach to the boiling water and cook for 1 minute, then transfer to the ice water. Drain and squeeze out the excess water. Place the spinach in a blender. Add the eggs and process until smooth.
Add the flour in a mound on top of the potatoes. Sprinkle the salt and nutmeg on top. Make a well in the flour. Add the spinach mixture to the well. Using your hands, gently mix together, kneading the dough briefly against the side of the bowl until evenly blended.
Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 5 portions. Roll each portion into a log about 1 inch thick. Cut each log into 1-inch pieces. To make the classic gnocchi shape, roll each piece of dough in a downward motion over the tines of the fork to form a grooved and curved gnocchi.
To prepare the chanterelles, warm the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, then add the chanterelles, mushrooms, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden and release their juices, about 6 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the gnocchi, give them a gentle stir, and cook for 40 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the gnocchi to the pan with the mushrooms. Spoon a little of the cooking water over the top and mix gently.
Divide the gnocchi mixture among 6 shallow bowls. Sprinkle thyme leaves over the top. Add grated Pecorino at the table.
