· recipe ·

Braised Beef Gnocchi Bake

Name: Braised Beef Gnocchi Bake
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 160 min
Total time: 195 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb 10 oz Russet potatoes; 1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour; 1 Egg yolk; 2 1/2 tsp Fine table salt; 2 Tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large Yellow onion; 4 cloves Garlic; 3 Tbsp Tomato paste; 1 can (28 oz) Crushed tomatoes; 2 cups Low-sodium beef broth; 2 sprigs Fresh rosemary; 1/2 tsp Ground black pepper; 1 1/2 lb Beef chuck roast; 6 oz Low-moisture mozzarella

A slow braise turns chuck into tender shreds and gives its cooking liquid body. Reducing that liquid concentrates the beef flavor before it meets the cheese and gnocchi.

type: Potato · Baked
sauce: Tomato · Beef · Cheese

Time and servings

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 160 min
Total: 195 min
Servings: 4

Nutrition per serving

Calories: about 1000
Protein: 55 g
Fat: 51 g
Carbs: 80 g

Brown the beef
Start the beef before making the gnocchi. Cut it into large bite-size pieces and pat dry. Warm the olive oil over medium-high heat and brown the beef deeply on several sides. Transfer it to a plate.
Build the braise
Dice the onion and slice the garlic. Cook the onion in the same pot until soft, add the garlic, tomato paste, and black pepper for 1 minute, then add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, rosemary, and browned beef.
Braise until tender
Cover and maintain a very gentle stovetop simmer until the beef is fork-tender, about 2 hours. About 90 minutes before it is ready, prepare and shape the gnocchi. Remove the rosemary stems, uncover, and simmer until the sauce is thick enough to mound on a spoon. Heat the oven to 425°F220°C as the sauce reduces.
Choose boiling or baking
Choose boiling or baking. Boiled potatoes make a softer, moister dough; baked potatoes make a drier dough that usually needs less flour. To boil, put the whole unpeeled potatoes in cold water, bring to a simmer, and cook for 25 to 35 minutes, until a thin knife slides easily into the center; then drain. To bake instead, pierce them and bake at 425°F220°C for 45 to 60 minutes, until tender.
Mash the potatoes
Peel the potatoes while they are warm. Pass them through a potato ricer, or mash them with a potato masher until no lumps remain. Spread the potato out briefly to let the steam escape.
Mix the dough
Mix the warm potato with the egg yolk, 1/2 tsp3 g of the salt, and 1 cup120 g of the flour. Fold gently until no dry flour remains. If the dough is too sticky to roll, add more of the listed flour a spoonful at a time. Stop when it is soft and slightly tacky; you may not need all the flour.
Roll and cut the dough
Divide the dough and roll each portion into a rope about 3/4 inch2 cm thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut the ropes into 3/4 inch2 cm pieces.
Add the ridges
Roll each piece over a gnocchi board to create beautiful, well-defined ridges that help the sauce cling. A fork can make simple grooves.
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Heat the cooking water
Bring 3 quarts3 liters of water with 1 1/2 tsp9 g of the salt to a gentle boil.
Poach the gnocchi
Lower in the shaped gnocchi and lift them out as soon as they float. Let excess water drain away.
Assemble and bake
Fold the poached gnocchi through the thick braise and transfer to a baking dish. Grate the mozzarella over the top and bake at 425°F220°C until bubbling and browned in spots. Rest for 8 minutes before serving.