· recipe ·
Crispy Birria Gnocchi with Oaxaca Cheese
Oaxaca cheese pulls into soft strings as it melts, making it a good partner for chile-braised beef. The consomme is served alongside, so each forkful can be dipped without immediately softening the crisp gnocchi.
Time and servings
- Prep
- 85 min
- Cook
- 190 min
- Total
- 275 min
- Servings
- 4
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- about 1220
- Protein
- 71 g
- Fat
- 68 g
- Carbs
- 82 g
Make the chile puree
Stem and seed the ancho and guajillo chiles. Toast them briefly, then simmer them in some of the beef broth until pliable. Add the canned tomatoes, yellow onion, garlic, cider vinegar, oregano, and cumin. Take off the heat and puree with an immersion blender, keeping its head submerged. For a countertop blender, cool the mixture until warm and use a heat-safe pitcher according to its manufacturer's hot-liquid capacity and venting instructions.
Braise the beef
Heat the oven to 325°F165°C. Cut the beef into large pieces. Warm 1 tablespoon15 ml olive oil and brown the meat, then add the chile puree and remaining beef broth. Cover and braise for about 3 hours, until the beef pulls apart easily. Make the gnocchi during the final 90 minutes of the braise.
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.
Carpentry Dynasty gnocchi boards15% off with code WOFG15Shop on Amazon →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.
Shred the beef and prepare the garnishes
Finely dice the red onion, chop the cilantro, cut the limes into wedges, and pull the Oaxaca cheese into thin strings. Lift out and shred all the beef. Skim excess fat from the consomme, return enough liquid to the meat to keep it juicy, and keep the remaining consomme hot for serving.
Heat the cooking water
Bring 3 quarts3 liters of water to a gentle boil once the beef is ready. Add 1 1/2 tsp9 g of the salt to the water.
Poach the gnocchi
Lower the shaped gnocchi into the gently boiling water. Lift them out as soon as they float and let their surfaces steam dry for 2 minutes.
Crisp with beef and cheese
Warm the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat and crisp the gnocchi on their broad sides. Fold in the shredded beef, scatter the Oaxaca cheese over the skillet, cover, and lower the heat just until the cheese melts.
Serve with consomme
Finish the skillet with the prepared red onion and cilantro and serve the hot consomme and lime wedges alongside.
