Triple Cheese Gnocchi in a Mushroom Mornay Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 lb potato
• 1/4 lb cheddar cheese, freshly grated
• 1/2 lb ricotta cheese
• 1 cup romano cheese, freshly grated
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Mornay Sauce

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups button mushrooms, sliced
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/4 cups half-and-half cream
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Directions

1. 1

   For the gnocchi, pare and steam the potatoes until they are fork tender. Puree.

2. 2

   Blend the cheeses together.

3. 3

   Blend the cheeses, potatoes and eggs together. Add the flour very slowly, mixing in after each addition. You want a very soft dough, not too stiff with flour or the gnocchi will be heavy and tough.

4. 4

   Knead, creating a soft dough. Mold the dough into teaspoon size pieces. Place on a floured, inverted fork and press slightly. The tines will make ridges to help the sauce cling to the gnocchi.

5. 5

   Start a large kettle of salted water to a rolling boil. While waiting on the water to boil, begin the mornay sauce.

6. 6

   Heat the butter in a sauce pan and add the mushrooms, saute until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the flour and cook 2 minutes over low heat, adding drops of chicken broth as needed to keep from being too dry while cooking. Stir in the chicken broth and half & half. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened. Stir in the cheese and simmer for 2 more minutes. Keep sauce warm over very, very low heat.

7. 7

   Drop the gnocchi into the salted boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes after the dumplings begin floating. Drain and place in large serving bowl. Top and toss with Mornay Sauce.