Pork or Veal Chops with Sage and Gnocchi with Gorgonzola and Walnuts
- For the Gnocchi: (or substitute store-bought for faster preparation)
- 2 pounds (3 to 4) medium Russet potatoes
- 4 medium or 3 large egg yolks
- About 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, a couple of handfuls
- 2 cups 00 or all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup, a couple of flat handfuls, walnut halves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 to 1/3 pound Gorgonzola Dolce
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Salt and white pepper, to taste
- Celery tops or flat leaf parsley, chopped, to serve
- 4 large 1-1/2 inch thick bone-in pork or veal chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 12 leaves of sage
- 1/2 cup white vermouth
If making gnocchi, place whole, unpeeled potatoes in a pot with cold water. Boil to tender, 25-30 minutes, then drain and cool. Peel potatoes and pass them through a ricer onto a work surface. Make a well in the center of the potatoes and into it add egg yolks and cheese. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg then mix in egg and cheese; scatter flour over top of dough and incorporate. Roll into ropes 1-inch thick and cut into pillows 1-inch long. Round the ends of the gnocchi a bit with a pinch and score them with the tines of a fork to form uniform pieces. Arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and reserve until ready to cook.
For the sauce, heat a medium saucepot over medium heat. Toast nuts then add butter and melt; add milk and heat through. Melt Gorgonzola into sauce and reduce heat to low.
Cook fresh gnocchi 2-3 minutes (or, if store-bought, according to package directions) in boiling salted water until they float up to the top; drain.
When gnocchi goes into cook add cream and parm to sauce, and season with salt and white pepper, to taste. Toss drained gnocchi with sauce and top with celery leaves or parsley to garnish. Serve gnocchi alongside chops.