Whenever I talk about a “ragù,”  it’s usually a meat-based sauce served with pasta. I thought that using the soft, pillowy texture of potato Gnocchi would be perfect. This is my Gnocchi with a Porcini Mushroom And Sweet Italian Sausage Ragu.

Let’s start with the ragù.

Prep Time: 15 minutes (re-hydrating mushrooms)
Cooking Time: 40 minutes (includes the cooking time for browning sausage)
Total Cook Time: 55 minutes
Yields: 4 servings
Equipment: 1 (3-quart) saucepot, 1 (10-inch) sauté pan, 1 (12-inch) rondeau (deep-sided frying pan), 1 (6-quart) saucepot, Microplane, chef’s knife, cutting board

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 pound of sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 (4.5-ounce) package of dried Porcini mushrooms, reconstituted and finely chopped
2 cups of beef broth, low-sodium
1 cup of mushroom stock (the liquid from the re-hydrated Porcini mushrooms)
1 large sweet onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of fennel seeds (optional)
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly-ground
16 ounces (1 package) of store-bought potato gnocchi (substitute homemade)
1 1/4 cups of crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly-grated
Garnishes:
1/4 cup of Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly-grated to sprinkle over each serving

Instructions:
Start by rehydrating the Porcini mushrooms over medium-low heat with unsalted beef broth for 15-20 minutes until plump. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms and transfer them to a cutting board, reserving the mushroom liquid. Next, finely dice the mushrooms and transfer them to a small bowl.

In a large sauté pan, over medium heat, add olive oil and fennel seeds. Next, add Italian sausage to the pan, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook and stir until sausage is completely brown, with no pink, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and drain the grease using a strainer or a slotted spoon. Transfer the sausage to a large mixing bowl.

While the sausage is browning, dice up the onion and mince the garlic. Set those aside.

Using a rondeau pan (a deep-sided frying pan, seen above), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, kosher salt, and fresh-ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, 2-3 minutes. Next, add the chopped Porcini mushrooms, minced garlic, and fresh thyme leaves, and stir to combine.

At this point, add the gnocchi to a pot of boiling salted water.

Add the reserved mushroom stock to the pan. Allow the stock to simmer and reduce until only a couple of tablespoons of liquid remain in the pan. Add the cooked sausage and crushed tomatoes, and stir to combine. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and add the heavy cream, stir through.

When the gnocchi begin floating, they’re done. Using a colander-style spoon, transfer the gnocchi into the pan with the ragù, and stir gently to combine. Turn the heat off. Add the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, stir to combine.

Garnish with chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley.

Ladle the Gnocchi with a Porcini Mushroom and Sweet Italian Sausage Ragù into individual porcelain serving bowls. Top with more of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Serve hot.

There you have it, my Gnocchi with a Porcini Mushroom and Sweet Italian Sausage Ragù.

Note:
1) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through a preferred online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/