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Overhead view of Valmalenco gnocchi coated in browned butter, crisp sage leaves, and grated cheese on a rustic plate.

Valmalenco Gnocchi with Cucul Greens and Browned Butter

Potato gnocchi folded with wild greens, boiled, then tossed in browned butter, sage, and Valtellina Casera cheese.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Primo
Cuisine: Alpine
Calories: 555
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Gnocchi Dough
  • 800 g starchy potatoes (Russet), whole and unpeeled
  • 200 g cucul greens (or spinach / Swiss chard) chopped after blanching
  • 150 g all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
For the Browned Butter Sauce
  • 90 g unsalted butter divided
  • 10 fresh sage leaves
  • 60 g Valtellina Casera cheese, grated or Fontina / young Grana Padano
  • 3 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
  • black pepper to taste

Method
 

Make the Gnocchi Dough
  1. Boil whole, unpeeled potatoes in a 6-quart / 5.5L pot of cold salted water for 25 to 30 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance. Drain and peel while still hot, holding them with a kitchen towel.
  2. Blanch the cucul greens (or chopped spinach or Swiss chard) in a 2-quart / 2L saucepan of boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes until wilted. Drain, squeeze out as much water as you can with your hands, then chop finely.
  3. Pass the hot potatoes through a potato ricer onto a clean work surface. Spread into a rough mound and let cool for 10 minutes. Adding egg to potatoes that are still steaming makes the dough sticky and forces you to add extra flour, which gives you dense gnocchi.
  4. Scatter the flour, chopped greens, salt, and nutmeg over the riced potato. Make a well in the center, crack in the egg, and fold everything together with a bench scraper until just combined and no dry flour remains.
  5. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 2 cm / 3/4-inch thick on a lightly floured surface, then cut into 2 cm / 3/4-inch pieces. Roll each piece against the tines of a fork to make ridges, or leave them plain.
Cook and Finish
  1. Bring the same 6-quart / 5.5L pot, filled with fresh salted water, to a boil. Drop the gnocchi in batches of about 20 to 25 pieces so they have room to float without sticking together.
  2. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the gnocchi rise to the surface and float for about 30 seconds. Lift out with a slotted spoon and set on a warmed plate, keeping about 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water.
  3. Toast the breadcrumbs in the 10-inch / 26 cm skillet over medium heat with 1 tbsp of the butter for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden. Tip onto a plate and wipe the skillet clean.
  4. Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the butter turns golden and smells nutty. Watch closely, it burns fast once it gets there.
  5. Add the cooked gnocchi and a splash of the reserved cooking water to the skillet. Toss gently for 1 minute to coat in the butter.
  6. Remove from the heat, scatter in the grated Valtellina Casera, and toss until it melts into a light coating. Season with black pepper.
  7. Plate the gnocchi, scatter the toasted breadcrumbs over the top, and serve right away.

Notes

  • Cool riced potatoes 10 minutes before adding egg to avoid sticky dough.
  • Squeeze greens bone-dry, excess water is the main cause of gummy gnocchi.
  • Test-boil one gnocco before shaping the rest of the batch.
  • Brown butter fast, pull off heat the second it smells nutty.