Gnocchi Mac & Cheese

Okay.  So, let me just start by saying that I will never even come close to describing how amazing this dish is!  It's definitely the best thing I've made all year.  Basically, I'm saying that you MUST try this recipe - and if you like cheese at all, you will be blown away!  After trying the Rocky Road Brownies that I posted in June from the blog, Plain Chicken, I decided that I needed to try some of her other recipes.  This is the only one I've made so far, but it's divine!  I purchased the gnocchi at the store (it takes forever to make!) and it worked wonderfully.  We love using gnocchi in pasta dishes (it's a pasta made from potatoes).  Besides the gnocchi and cheese of course, the white pepper in this recipe really makes the difference.  This dish has so many great flavors - I hope you like it as much as we do!  And, don't even attempt to count the calories - trust me, it's worth every single one!

Gnocchi Mac and Cheese
(from: Cuisine at Home via Plain Chicken)

Ingredients:

1 pound purchased or homemade gnocchi
2 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup shredded fontina cheese
1 tsp basil

Salt and white pepper to taste
1/3 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Prepare gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and place gnocchi in a single-layer in a 1-1/2 quart shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in flour until it thickens and bubbles, then whisk in milk and Dijon. Continue to whisk mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.

Combine Gruyere and fontina, then add by the handful to milk mixture, stirring until melted before adding the next handful. Once all cheese is melted, add basil, salt and pepper.

Pour sauce over gnocchi and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano over top. Bake gnocchi until they puff and cheese is golden and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Let gnocchi rest for 5 minutes before serving.