Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Gnocchi with marinara and alfredo sauce


Gnocchi is the Italian small dumpling or noodle, normally made of potato, flour or semolina. I tasted combination of marinara and alfredo sauce with gnocchi at one local Italian restaurant. It became my favourite dish from that place from very first bite. For me, alfredo is too heavy and marinara is sometimes just tomato sauce. But combination of both makes wonderful taste along with gnocchi. 
Another reason of trying same recipe at home, because I found tri color gnocchi in grocery store before few days. Tri color gnocchi has goodness of tomato and spinach both.

Ingredients:-
1 lb tri color gnocchi

For marinara
4 tomatoes
1 onion chopped
2-3 garlic cloves minced
2 tsp olive oil

For alfredo
4 tablespoon parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoon whole milk
1 tablespoon butter

dry or fresh basil flaks
dry oregano
2 tsp black/white pepper powder
salt as per taste

Boil the gnocchi in salted water as per instruction on packet. Drain the gnocchi and add some olive oil.

Boil the tomatoes for 4-5 minutes in water. Drain the tomatoes and keep them aside. Heat 2 tsp of olive oil in one pan. When oil is heated, add chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook till onion become translucent. Let onion and garlic mixture cool. Then make smooth puree of tomato and onion garlic mixture.

In the same pan heat butter. When butter is melted, add tomato puree. Add oregano, pepper and salt. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes. Take cheese, heavy whipping cream and whole milk in one bowl and whisk well. Lower the flame and then add cheese mixture. Simmer for 2 minutes.

At last add cooked gnocchi and again simmer for couple of minutes.

Garnish with basil and serve hot!!!

Notes:-
Normally alfredo sauce is made with butter, ricotta cheese and heavy whipping cream. I used just 1 tablespoon of whipping cream and add some whole milk. If you don't worry about all those calories, go ahead use only heavy whipping cream. 

Normally white pepper is used in alfredo but I had only black pepper. So I just used whatever was available.

You can make this dish with regular gnocchi also. It  will not alter the taste at all.

7 comments:

Uma said...

looks great! Mouth-watering!

TNL said...

I love Gnocchi with both the sauces mixed...its so soft! So yummy!
Love the picture too.

cheers,trupti
the spice who loved me

Chandani said...

just what i was looking for!! i have never tried gnocchi before, just got a packet from trader joe's and was wondering what to do with it..will give this a try soon :)

Chandani said...

awards waiting for you on my blog :)

Deepthi Shankar said...

that pic really has me mouth watering. I love alfredo sauce

Alpa said...

i love gnocchi... and i agree about the sauces. this sounds like a perfect combination... the best of both :)

Steve said...

Hi!

I've been trying to find the Italian word for the end result of mixing marinara and Alfredo sauces together. I know the word exists, as I saw it on a menu once, but I can't remember what it is. Does anyone know? Thanks!