Gnocchi: Round two! This time, with Bolognese

 Gnocchi: Round two: 

This time, with Bolognese

Yesterday afternoon, my lovely little one came running into the kitchen yelling, "Mommy, I'm so hungry! My tummy wants gnocchi!" "Ok," I replied. My daughter sometimes mistakes me for a short-order cook. I didn't sweat it because I kept some gnocchi dough in the freezer. 

 As it defrosts on the counter, I look through the freezer for a protein. Running short on time, I defrosted some ground beef. Not in the mood for meatballs, I quickly whipped up my version of bolognese. Here's how:

Ingredients:

Ground beef, Onion, Garlic, 1-2 cans of tomato paste, about a 1/2 cup of milk, about a 1/2 cup of chicken stock, about a 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon of butter, basil and parsley

Step 1: I diced some onions and added them to a pan with olive oil. Sprinkle some salt and saute until the onions are translucent. 

Step 2: Then add in your ground beef. As it is cooking, break it up into small bits. (or leave 'em a little chunkier, it's your call!) When the meat has browned, remove it from the pan and drain the excess liquid. 

Step 3: Add the tomato paste to the pan and the chicken stock. Whisk thoroughly until you've made a sauce (think a little thinner than pancake batter) 

Side note: I know it seems confusing that I am not giving out exact measurements. That's because there are many variables that you may encounter while you're cooking. You may need to add a little more chicken stock if you are not getting the desired result. You may use less if you want a thicker sauce. You can alter it to your preferences. 

Step four: Whisk in the butter. When it is melted, whisk in the parmesan cheese. Then lower the flame and whisk in the milk slowly (if milk is heated too quickly, the sauce will be gritty)

Step 5: Add the seasonings to taste. Add the meat back into the pan. Let it simmer, stirring often for about 20-30 minutes.

Step 6: Combine the cooked Gnocchi and sauce in a bowl. Be sure to add 1/2 cup of pasta water to your bowl and stir. That's it! Enjoy!