Gnocchi Mac & Cheese

Ahhhh mac and cheese.

Those mere words stir up feelings of comfort...home....the food you loved as a kid.

If you asked a 100 people what their favorite comfort food was, I'm guessing close to half would say mac and cheese. I'm sure meatloaf and mashed potatoes are right up there too.

Why is that the combination of cheese and pasta can make our mouths water?



I'm all about trying different kinds of mac and cheese recipes and this one was no exception. I love gnocchi. I love cheese. Done deal.

I saw this one on Noble Pig's site and knew it would be in my oven.

The gnocchi get's a little puffy in the oven and the cheese get's a little crunchy.

It's heavenly.

Gnocchi Mac n' Cheese
From Cuisine at Home
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
Salt and white pepper to taste
1/3 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
Basil leaves for garnish, optional (I chopped fresh basil and added it in to my cheese sauce)

Preheat oven to 375. 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, season sauce with salt and pepper.

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