Carrot gnocchi with corn bechamel

Pillowy and sweet carrot gnocchi are paired with rich and cheesy corn béchamel and a pop of spicy jalapeño.

*Serves 2-4.*

Demo

Ingredients

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Equipment

Gnocchi

Recipe adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1, p. 181.

1 lbs carrots
1/2 fresh jalapeño, plus additional for garnish
4 eggs
1.5 cups of flour, plus 3/4 cup extra
1/2 cup water
6 tbsp of butter
3 tbsp of corn starch
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Tap water
Slotted spoon
2 medium sauce pans
1 large mixing bowl
1 medium bowl (for holding cooked carrot)
1 vegetable peeler
1 wooden spoon
1 rubber spatula
1 cutting knife
Floured medium to large sheet tray, covered with damp towels or paper towels (for holding gnocchi dough)
Plate (for holding cooked gnocchi)
Food processor

Corn BÉCHAMEL

Kernels from 2 ears of sweet corn
2 cups boiling whole milk
1 cup freshly and finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for garnish
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tbsp of butter
2 tbsp of flour
1 small sauté pan
2 small sauce pans
1 wooden spoon
Salt, pepper, and white wine vinegar to taste

Prepare carrots

Peel, quarter, and boil 1 lbs of carrots in a few inches of generously salted water in a medium sauce pan. Drain, transfer to bowl, and mash into a rough paste with a potato masher. Transfer to food processor, and add heavy cream, jalapeño, corn starch, and salt and pepper to taste. Blitz until relatively smooth. Transfer to bowl, and clean out food processor.

Prepare pate a choux

Bring water, butter, and a generous pinch of salt to boil in medium sauce pan. Once butter has melted and water is boiling, immediately add 1 cup of flour off heat. Stir vigorously to combine. Return to medium heat and stir until film forms on bottom of sauce pan. Again off heat, add eggs, one at a time. Set in the fridge to cool.

Prepare corn

Sauté the corn kernels in a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, until the kernels are just beginning to soften. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to food processor and add heavy cream. Blitz until the mixture is a relatively smooth . (There will be some chunks from the corn.) Set aside for later.

Prepare gnocchi dough

Combine the pate a choux and carrot paste in the mixing bowl with the spatula. The dough should be light, soft, delicate, and slightly sticky. It is ready when you can easily roll a small ball of dough in floured hands, without much dough sticking to your hands. Add additional flour in 1/2 cup increments if necessary to achieve this consistency. Turn out onto a generously floured work surface. Gently roll into 1 inch logs, and with a cutting knife, cut into 1/2”x1/2” pillows (or any other gnocchi shape you like). Place on the floured baking sheet, covered with damp towels. (If you are making the dough in advance, it may be stored on the baking sheet, covered in damp towels, in the fridge for several hours. The gnocchi can also be frozen in plastic bags, and will last several weeks. The frozen gnocchi may be added directly to boiling water. They do not need to defrost.)

Boil gnocchi

Bring a few inches of generously salted water to boil in a saucepan. Add the gnocchi, a dozen or so at a time. Cook, checking a gnocchi for doneness after 7 minutes. (The gnocchi should be slightly larger, heavily aerated, and not at all doughy in the center.) Continue cooking and testing in 3-4 minute increments until the gnocchi are done. Transfer to a plate while you make the sauce.

Prepare béchamel and plate

Combine the corn cream and milk in a sauce pan, and bring to a boil. In another sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat, and then add the flour. Stir constantly for 2-3 minutes to cook the flour. Off heat, immediately add the boiling corn cream and milk, and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and stir constantly until the sauce has thickened and nicely coats the back of a spoon. Turn off the heat, add the Parmesan, and season to taste with salt, pepper, and white wine vinegar.

Plate 10-12 gnocchi per person. Cover in sauce. Garnish with additional Parmesan, and slices of jalapeño. Enjoy.