Food You Can Eat: Gnocchi with Prosciutto and Truffle Oil

This was a “meant to be” recipe because I had sage in the herb garden and truffle oil in the cupboard. It is incredibly rich – a little bit goes a long way. I could see omitting the prosciutto and serving as a side with a lean, roasted meat or grilled fish and a green salad. Or perhaps you could keep the prosciutto and serve it in small demitasse cups as an appetizer.

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet and cook 16-20 sage leaves until crispy. Remove and set aside. Add a few slices of chopped prosciutto to the pan, no more than two or three. Cook until crispy, remove, and set aside with the sage. Add another tablespoon olive oil to the pan, and sauté one or two minced shallots and one to two tablespoons minced garlic, until clear/lightly golden but not brown (quantities to taste). Add ¾ to one cup heavy cream, bring to a boil, and simmer until reduced by half. Stir in ¼ to ½ cup grated Reggiano or Padano cheese and remove from heat.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add a pound of gnocchi, and remove as it floats to the top, three to four minutes?  Drizzle one tablespoon of white truffle oil over the gnocchi, lightly toss to coat, and combine with the sauce.

To serve, plate the gnocchi and top with the reserved procuitto, sage, and a bit more grated cheese. Garnish with some fresh sage leaves, for pretty.

Start to finish time? About 30 minutes, but only because of all the mincing and the reduction of the sauce to thicken. Should you make this? If you enjoy rich foods, then yes.