French Onion Gnocchi
Cheese is layered on top of this beautiful casserole to give it the same effect as the original French Onion Soup.
I felt a breeze this evening and now I want a hot casserole and a fuzzy blanket even though it’s still 85 degrees outside.
This is another mutant dish that will either upset the French or the Italians. Please direct all hatred to the comments section because this is delicious. Start by making a rich, creamy sauce made from caramelized onions. Don’t worry, this is not one of those recipes that calls for caramelized onions in “less than 20 minutes”. I am much more realistic about the process because it takes time. Then, toss in par cooked fresh or store-bought gnocchi before broiling it in the oven. Thus, resulting in a heavenly casserole that is dying to be served during a screening of Practical Magic.
If you don’t have potatoes on hand, you can make a French-style gnocchi that is made from a pâte à choux dough. These gnocchi come out much more fluffy and resemble clouds once partially boiled. While these are magical, they are a bit more difficult to make. Additionally, if you don’t have a gnocchi board, a trick I learned in culinary school is to use the back of the fork to achieve the same ridges in the gnocchi. These ridges are required to hold sauce.
Ingredients for the French Onion Casserole
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons sugar
Black pepper and Kosher salt to taste
1 pack of Caramelized Onion Jack Cheese from Boar’s Head or 12 slices of Swiss cheese
Ingredients for the Potato Gnocchi
3 large Russet potatoes, approximately 1 lbs
1 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
Special Equipment
Potato ricer (optional)
Stick blender or blender
Gnocchi board (optional)
Serves 6
Directions for the French Onion Sauce
Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the oil, butter, and onions. Salt and continue to sauté over medium heat for five minutes, then drop the heat to medium low. Cook until caramelized, about 30-45 minutes. You do not want the onions to get crispy. If you pan starts to dry out, add a tablespoon more of butter or oil.
Once the onions have caramelized into a brown heap, deglaze your pot with sherry. Cook the alcohol out for two minutes before adding in the beef broth and cream. Reduce for five minutes. Season with sugar, black pepper and kosher salt.
Blend the sauce with a stick blender until smooth. Set aside.
Directions for the Potato Gnocchi
Using a fork, prick the potatoes all over. Stick them in a microwave proof bowl and cover before microwaving on high for ten minutes. After ten minutes, check the tenderness of the potatoes using a knife. If you can stick it all the way through without resistance, set them aside to cool. If not, cover and microwave for another five minutes on high.
Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel the skins off with a pairing knife. Placed the peeled bits into a bowl and mash with a fork or use a potato ricer to get the best texture. Turn out the contents onto a clean work surface that has been dusted with a bit of flour.
Add the egg, salt, and 1/2 cup of flour. Mix the dough with your hands until the flour is combined. Add another 1/2 cup of flour and mix into the dough. At this point, if the dough is still loose and moist, add 1/4 cup of flour in increments.
Bring a stock pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt the water well before boiling the gnocchi. Additionally, preheat the broiler.
Portion the dough into four sections. Roll each one out into thick ropes. Add a little more flour to your work surface if necessary. Cut off 1-inch pieces from the rope and roll across the gnocchi board or the back of a fork. Transfer each rolled gnocchi to a floured tray.
Boil the gnocchi in batches until they float to the surface of the water, about two minutes. Transfer using a spider to the pot of caramelized onion sauce. Toss to coat before transferring to a buttered 13x9-inch casserole dish. Top the casserole with slices of cheese and broil for ten minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.