Description
Experience a delightful twist on a classic with this rich and creamy Carbonara With Gnocchi. Tender potato dumplings are enveloped in a velvety carbonara sauce made with smoked beef and Pecorino Romano cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 package of good quality store-bought potato gnocchi
- 8 oz smoked beef strips or beef bacon
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 whole large egg
- 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Salt (for boiling water)
Instructions
- First things first, get everything ready. Dice your smoked beef strips or beef bacon into small, even pieces.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together your egg yolks and the whole egg. Stir in a generous amount of freshly grated Pecorino Romano (or a mix with Parmigiano-Reggiano) and a good helping of freshly ground black pepper. Give it a good whisk until it's smooth and well combined. This is your carbonara sauce base. Set it aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil for your gnocchi.
- Place a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add your diced smoked beef strips or beef bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is crispy and most of its fat has rendered out into the pan. This usually takes about 8-10 minutes.
- Once the beef is beautifully crispy, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Leave all that glorious rendered beef fat in the pan!
- While the beef is rendering, your water should be boiling. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water. They will cook very quickly, usually floating to the surface within 2-3 minutes.
- Once the gnocchi float, let them cook for just another 30 seconds to a minute to ensure they're tender all the way through.
- Before draining, scoop out about 1 to 1.5 cups of the starchy gnocchi cooking water and set it aside.
- Using a slotted spoon or a spider, transfer the cooked gnocchi directly from the pot into the pan with the rendered beef fat.
- Turn the heat under the skillet to low, or even remove it from the heat entirely.
- Add about a quarter of your reserved gnocchi cooking water to the gnocchi in the pan. Give it a gentle toss.
- Immediately pour your egg and cheese mixture over the gnocchi in the pan.
- Work quickly and continuously: Toss the gnocchi vigorously with tongs, stirring and coating every piece.
- If the sauce seems too thick, add a tablespoon or two more of the reserved gnocchi water, one at a time, tossing continuously until you reach your desired creamy consistency.
- Once your sauce is perfectly creamy and coats the gnocchi, stir in most of the crispy beef strips, reserving a few for garnish.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, though with Pecorino and beef, it's usually salty enough. Add more black pepper to your liking.
- Serve immediately in warm bowls. Garnish with the remaining crispy beef strips and an extra sprinkle of Pecorino Romano and fresh black pepper.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 200 mg
Keywords: Temperature control is crucial to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Don't drain the gnocchi completely; a little starchy water helps emulsify the sauce. Use freshly ground black pepper for the best flavor.