Prepare Delicious Porcini Sauce to Accompany Potato Gnocchi
Venturing into Porcini Sauce Wonderland
Take your potato gnocchi game to the next level with a lush, earthy Porcini Sauce! You might find the dried porcini mushrooms a bit pricey, but the unparalleled flavor they exude is simply worth every penny. Let's get cooking!
This incredible sauce is an excellent partner for Paola Bagnatori's remarkable Potato Gnocchi, as demonstrated in our "Cooking with Grandma" video.
What to invest in: Head to your local supermarket to snag some dried porcini mushrooms. While they may cost a pretty penny, the mouthwatering flavor they deliver could just change your culinary life.
- Yields: A heaping 6 cups
- Difficulty: Medium with a side of fascination
- Total time: Approximately 2 hours, 25 minutes
- Active time: Only 25 minutes, leaving you plenty of time to watch re-runs of the "Cooking with Grandma" video
Components (7)
- 2 cups (1 1/2 ounces) loosely packed dried porcini mushrooms
- 1/2 bunch Italian parsley, stems removed (about 2 cups loosely packed leaves)
- 5 to 6 large garlic cloves
- 1/2 small yellow onion, cut into large chunks
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick)
- 2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste
Instructions
- Pop the porcini mushrooms in a medium bowl and give them a good rinse under cold water. Be sure to shake them in the water a few times. Then, drain the mushrooms using a slotted spoon, leaving behind any grit at the bottom of the bowl. Top them off with about 1 1/2 cups of water in a small pot and bump it up to a simmer. Remove the pot from the heat and scoop out the mushrooms using a slotted spoon. Finely chop them and set them aside. Filter the mushroom broth through a coffee filter or cheesecloth into a medium bowl, being mindful to decant the broth again to ensure you leave any grit behind. Set the broth aside to relax.
- Pop the parsley, garlic, and onion in a food processor and pulse them into a rough chop, approximately 10 pulses, and then put it aside. Patience, buddy!
- Grab a heavy 4-quart pot fitted with a lid and slap it on the stove over medium-low heat. Add the oil and butter. When the butter starts to froth, chuck in the onion-parsley mixture and continue cooking until the onions become translucent, approximately 6 minutes. Keep stirring those guys around to avoid any potential charring. Toss in the chopped mushrooms, followed by the tomato paste and stir until it's all incorporated. Slowly incorporate the reserved mushroom broth and any cold water you need to reach a suitable consistency, roughly two cups in total. Season with a generous pinch each of salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover the pot and simmer on the lowest possible heat setting for 60 to 75 minutes, adding more liquid as needed if it starts to thicken too much, and giving it a good stir every now and then to prevent any potential burning. Give it a taste and season again with salt and pepper if necessary to create flavor harmony.
Now, you have a divine Porcini Sauce to indulge in!
Top off your Potato Gnocchi with a lush, earthy Porcini Sauce for a more exceptional dining experience. The sauce is an ideal match for Paola Bagnatori's outstanding Potato Gnocchi, as shown in the "Cooking with Grandma" video. To prepare this mouthwatering sauce, invest in a heaping 6 cups of the flavorful and slightly costly Porcini Sauce, which requires 2 cups of dried porcini mushrooms, 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 5 to 6 large garlic cloves, 1/2 small yellow onion, and 1/2 bunch of Italian parsley, along with instructions for simmering and stirring the ingredients.
