Paula Wolfert usually bakes gnocchi in gratins, relieving her of the stress of last-minute cooking. Good, light potato gnocchi can take a really lush sauce such as this one from Emilia-Romagna, which is creamy and fragrant with stewed radicchio, seared pancetta, crunchy pine nuts and a mild Gorgonzola dolce, also called dolcelatte. Slideshow: More Gnocchi Recipes
How to Make It
Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large, nonstick skillet, melt the butter. Add the gnocchi and cook over high heat until browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
In the same skillet, heat the oil. Add the pancetta and cook over low heat until the fat has rendered, 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat for 1 minute. Stir in the radicchio, cover and cook until tender, 4 minutes. Add the cream, milk and Gorgonzola and simmer to melt the cheese, 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the sauce over and around the gnocchi. Top with the Parmigiano-Reggiano, bread crumbs and pine nuts. Bake on the upper rack for 20 minutes, until the gratin is golden. Serve.
