Father's Day Menu

  Just in case you have any interest in what I served for dinner last night, my husband requested Gnocchi. Gnocchi is a potato dumpling that is used in place of noodles in many dishes, and something he fell in love with during his time in Argentina. Gnocchi-making is a somewhat lengthy process, so when you attempt to make it for the first time, I would recommend making the Gnocchi the day before you plan to serve the dish. Here's the recipe I used to make the Gnocchi (just a note: traditional Gnocchi are pressed against and rolled off the tines of a fork into the pot of boiling water). And here's the recipe I used to make the sauce I served with it.

Pork and Mushroom Ragu (adapted from a recipe on Bon Appetit)

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
8 ounces sliced crimini (baby bella) mushrooms
Coarse kosher salt  

1/4 cups dry white wine
1 pound boneless country-style pork ribs, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 ounces 1/4-inch-thick slices prosciutto, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1/2 cup red wine 

14.5-oz. can crushed Muir Glen tomatoes
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1-1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

 

  Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add crimini mushrooms and garlic; sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper and sauté until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add white wine and simmer until crimini mushrooms are soft, about 4 minutes. Set aside (there may still be liquid in skillet).

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with coarse salt and pepper. Add pork to pot and sauté until browned in spots, about 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to medium bowl. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. Reduce heat to medium. Add prosciutto and stir 1 minute. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cover pot and cook vegetables until soft, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add red wine; bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed. Add tomatoes, 1 cup broth, bay leaves and reserved pork. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low, add cream and mushrooms and simmer uncovered until pork is tender, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry, about 30 minutes to 1 hour (depending on the quality of the pork).

  Add Potato Gnocchi; toss gently to coat. Simmer over medium heat until gnocchi are heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.

   Divide gnocchi and ragù among bowls. Sprinkle with some of the cheese and serve, passing remaining cheese alongside. 

Delicious!!! I will definitely make this again, but maybe with penne or linguine noodles to cut down on time.