Equipment
Ingredients
Main Components
- 500 g potato gnocchi, fresh or shelf-stable
- 450 g italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 radicchio di chioggia, cored and shredded
Sauce & Aromatics
- 200 ml heavy cream, min 35% fat
- 60 ml dry white wine
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 40 g parmigiano reggiano, freshly grated
- 15 ml olive oil
- 2 g fresh thyme, leaves picked
- black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, core the radicchio and slice it into 1cm thick ribbons. Remove sausage meat from casings if necessary.
In a large deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon into bite-sized chunks. Cook until well-browned and caramelized.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the minced shallot and garlic to the pan with the sausage, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the sliced radicchio and thyme. Sauté until the radicchio has wilted and reduced in volume by half.
Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half to concentrate the flavor.
Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Let it bubble gently while you cook the gnocchi.
Add the gnocchi to the boiling water. Cook only until they float to the surface (usually 2-3 minutes). Do not overcook.
Using a spider strainer, transfer the gnocchi directly from the water into the skillet with the sauce. Add 60ml (approx 1/4 cup) of the starchy pasta water to the skillet.
Toss the gnocchi vigorously in the sauce over medium heat for 1 minute to emulsify. Remove from heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and creamy. Season with black pepper.
Chef's Notes
- Radicchio will turn a brownish-purple when cooked. This is visually less vibrant than raw, but essential for taming its aggressive bitterness.
- Do not drain the gnocchi in a colander in the sink. Transferring them wet brings essential starch into the sauce, acting as a natural thickener.
- If using store-bought gnocchi, look for brands found in the refrigerated pasta section rather than the shelf-stable vacuum packs for a lighter texture.
- For an extra depth of flavor, add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg when adding the cream.
- Browning the sausage is the most critical step for flavor; do not rush this phase, as the fond created on the pan forms the base of the sauce.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Sauce will thicken significantly; loosen with a splash of water or milk when reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stove over low heat with a splash of water to re-emulsify the sauce.
