Potato Gnocchi With Sausage, Mushroom Cream Sauce {Gnocchi alla Norcina}

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. and place the potatoes on a baking sheet.
2. Bake your potatoes in their skins until fork tender, about 45 minutes.
3. While the potatoes are baking, use a spice mill or food processor to grind the dried porcini into a fine powder if using.
4. Remove two teaspoons of the porcini powder for the gnocchi.
5. Cut the potatoes in half, then place on a plate until they are cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes.
6. Scoop out the potato flesh and press through a potato ricer into a bowl.
7. Add the egg yolks, and porcini powder if using, and slowly start adding the flour a little at a time, mixing gently with your hands and continue until you have created a soft workable dough.
8. Knead gently only briefly until you have achieved a smooth, pliable if slightly sticky dough.
9. To shape the gnocchi, first break the dough into fist sized pieces, and roll each piece into a log about the thickness of your thumb on a lightly floured surface.
10. Cut into 1 inch pieces.
11. Place the prepared gnocchi on a lightly floured baking sheet and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
12. Remove the sausage meat from the casings, and cook until no longer pink in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, breaking up the meat with a fork as it cooks, about 7 minutes.
13. Once the meat begins to brown, add the olive oil, onions and mushrooms and continue to cook until the onions and mushrooms are soft and just beginning to brown, about 5 mintes.
14. Add the garlic and cook another minute or two.
15. Add white wine, and simmer uncovered a few minutes until the wine has reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
16. Add cream and season with salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste.
17. Continue to cook over medium low heat until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes.
18. If using, add the truffle paste to the sauce and stir to blend well.
19. To cook, drop the gnocchi carefully into salted boiling water and remove immediately as they have all floated to the surface.
20. Drain, return to the pot and add half the sauce.
21. Gently toss the gnocchi to coat with the sauce, then spoon the gnocchi into individual bowls.
22. Serve the gnocchi, with an extra scoop of sauce on top.
23. Pass the grated cheese at the table.