Amazingly tender gnocchi are bathed in two of the best things in the world: bacon and cream, then sprinkled with cheese for one of the best dishes ever.
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Gnocchi is a recent discovery for me, honestly.
Okay, so maybe not a recently recent discovery. I mean, I'd heard of it, I'd seen it, watched it be made, but never had it. I decided to make it after seeing a video by Byron Talbot, then seeing a gnocchi board at Sur La Table. It was fate telling me to make this gnocchi recipe. Finally.
But I had no idea what to eat with it.
Is it potato? I mean, yeah but I wouldn't put it with sour cream and chives.
Is it pasta? Sort of, but what do I do with potato pasta...?
I went with my instincts: I put bacon, and cheese all over it.
I mean, isn't that everyone's instinct when it comes to food? Creamy, delicious, cheesy sauce with smoky bacon and savory garlic, it is divine! This stuff should be bottled and sold, honestly.
If you plan on making your gnocchi, check out my how to make homemade gnocchi post. It freezes amazingly and is surprisingly easy to make by hand with simple ingredients and you don't need any crazy equipment.
Honestly, if I don't have any more gnocchi in the freezer, I'll use premade in a snap; it makes this go by even quicker, since gnocchi literally takes 2 minutes to cook and you don't have to worry about the kneading, rolling, cutting, etc.
Gnocchi is now my favorite pasta (it's pasta, right?)! It's pillowy, soft, light, it basically melts in your mouth, don't be afraid of making (or buying) some some!
I love gnocchi in comforting (and down right BOMB) chicken and gnocchi soup. This Olive Garden copycat actually blows Olive Garden out of the water!
Frequently Asked Questions
I have edited the recipe to be much more clear and hopefully easier for you guys!
What do I do with the bacon grease left in the pan?
You can pour it out, leave it in, leave half, whatever you want. This dish will still be delicious and tasty with or without the bacon grease. Try to use good quality bacon, as it will have a higher meat to fat percentage and you won't be left with a heart-stopping amount of bacon grease.
How do the eggs not scramble in the sauce?
When you add the garlic, the recipe states to turn the heat to LOW. As in, the lowest setting it can go before OFF. The dish comes together very quickly after this: the egg mixture is poured into the pan on LOW heat, then the chicken stock and cornstarch is whisked in, the gnocchi is tossed in the sauce almost immediately after. There is not enough time nor heat for the egg yolks to sit in the pan and scramble.
However, you can always turn the heat to OFF after adding the garlic or sauce mixture, to ensure there are no overcooked eggs in your sauce.
Why didn't I have any sauce?
I made the recipe to have a moderate amount of sauce. You may have left the sauce to cook in the pan, reducing the liquid and possibly cooking your eggs. In the notes, you'll see instructions to double the liquids if you want more sauce. Please make sure to season to taste and add as much parmesan cheese as you'd like.
Looking for more delicious Italian recipes? Check out:
Authentic Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Cracked Black Pepper Focaccia
Chicken and Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)
Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Osso Buco
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Gnocchi with Bacon Cream Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb gnocchi
- Water, enough to fill a large pot ¾ full
- 4 strips smoked bacon, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 egg yolks, beaten well
- ¼ cup 59 mL milk or cream
- ¼ cup 20 g freshly grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup 59 mL chicken broth
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- Kosher Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- Chopped parsley and more parmesan, to garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- While bringing the water to a boil, in a medium mixing bowl, mix together egg yolks, milk, and parmesan cheese with a fork or whisk. Set aside.
- In a large high sided saute pan or large skillet over medium high heat, cook chopped bacon to desired crispness. At this point, you could remove or keep the rendered bacon fat, it's entirely up to you. Once done, turn heat to low and add garlic. Stir well, making sure garlic doesn't burn.
- Add gnocchi to the water and cook for 2-3 minutes, or as package describes.
- Drain gnocchi, then add to the pan. Add the egg mixture to the skillet (heat still on low, or turned off) and mix well.
- In a small bowl, whisk the chicken stock into the cornstarch, then add to the sauce to thicken. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately with parsley and parmesan as garnish.
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