Morel Pasta (Crispy Gnocchi in Morel Cream Sauce)

silky morel cream sauce topped with crispy gnocchi in a vintage red plate.

5 from 4 votes

Morel Pasta (Crispy Gnocchi in Morel Cream Sauce)

You build this Morel Pasta from the bottom up, starting with a deeply savory, morel cream sauce that simmers quietly while you crisp up the potato gnocchi. Spoon the sauce into a bowl, scatter the gnocchi on top, and finish with Parmigiano shavings and parsley. It’s simple, striking, and wildly satisfying.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: French

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 720kcal

Author: Ninon Michels

Ingredients

For the morel cream sauce

4 cups morel mushrooms (fresh or frozen)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots (thinly minced)
2 cups dry white wine (preferably Chardonnay)
1 cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper

For the rest

17.5 ounces potato gnocchi (good quality store-bought or homemade)
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano or vegetarian-grade Parmesan (shaved with a vegetable peeler)
¼ cup flat leaf parsley (chopped)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Clean the morels – If using frozen morels, place them frozen (do not thaw) in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water to remove any dirt. Let them drain well. For fresh morels, gently brush off any dirt with a soft brush or kitchen paper (do not rinse).
Cook the morels (for frozen only) – Place the frozen morels in a dry sauté pan over medium heat. Cook without oil until their water evaporates, then remove from the pan and set aside. (Skip this step if using fresh morels.)
Prepare the sauce – In the same pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced shallots and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the morels to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Simmer with wine – Pour in the white wine and reduce the heat to low. Let the sauce simmer gently for about 20 minutes, until slightly reduced.
Add the cream – Then raise the heat to medium, stir in the heavy cream, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 more minutes until the sauce is smooth and velvety.
Boil the gnocchi – Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the surface plus 1 minute more. Drain well.
Pan-fry the gnocchi – In a non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add the gnocchi and fry, turning occasionally, until they’re golden and crispy all over.
Garnish and serve – Divide the warm morel sauce among four bowls or shallow plates. Top each with crispy gnocchi, then sprinkle with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano and freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Notes

Choose the right wine for the morel sauce – Go for a Chardonnay: it has the acidity and body to stand up to the cream, adding depth without overshadowing the morels. A dry Pinot Grigio works nicely too.
Increase the heat at the end of cooking the morel sauce – When you stir in the cream, the sauce might look like it’s curdling: don’t panic. Raise the heat to medium, keep stirring, and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. It will smooth out into a silky, rich finish.
Start with quality gnocchi – Look for gnocchi made mostly with potatoes (not flour); the label should say “potato gnocchi.” The brand Rummo makes an excellent version: tender inside, perfect for pan-frying.
Boil just until they float – Gnocchi only need about a minute. Once they rise to the surface, they’re done. Overcooking makes them mushy and harder to crisp.
Sauté in batches – Crowding the pan leads to soggy gnocchi. Give them space so each one can get golden and crisp. If you need to work in batches, do, it’s worth it.

Nutrition