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Part One:

G N O C C H I

it has been a long time.

but my love for homemade

{  gnocchi  }

will never change.

tonight: gnocchi with bacon, kale, shallots, shitakes, parmigiano.

bake one russet potato at 400 degrees for 45 minutes, or until tender. remove skin, mash flesh into a bowl.  add some salt, a good amount (1 Tbsp for my taste) ground nutmeg. combine.  beat one egg in separate bowl. add about 3 Tbsp of egg to potato mixture. add about 1/2 c "00" or all-purpose flour to potato. combine into a dough. roll dough into 1-inch logs, and cut into pieces (small or large depending on your taste).  transfer gnocchi to baking sheet. boil a pot of salted water. while water is boiling, chop 1 large shallot, smash 2 cloves garlic, prep 5 leaves of kale (remove middle vein and tear into pieces), and slice handful of mushrooms of choice (i like shitake).  fry two strips of bacon (or pieces of pancetta) in skillet. remove bacon, set aside, and chop into pieces. in same skillet (with remaining bacon fat), add garlic and shallots and allow to carmelize. add sliced mushrooms. add 1/4 stick butter and some fresh or dried sage to skillet. let brown for a couple of minutes, then add kale to skillet and cover with lid for about 3 minutes. remove lid and toss ingredients. meanwhile, boil gnocchi for 3-5 minutes, or until they float to surface of water. remove with slotted spoon and transfer directly to hot skillet, searing exterior of gnocchi. if necessary, add more butter/olive oil. add chopped bacon back to skillet. allow gnocchi to become golden brown. remove from heat, and serve. top with grated parmigiano and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.