Makes: 10 portions. Cooking time: 8 minutes.
Ingredients:
— 1 liters chou paste
— 75 grams butter
— ½ liters mornay sauce
— seasoning of salt and pepper
— 50 grams grated Parmesan cheese
Method:
(1) Use a shallow sided saucepan three-quarters filled with gently simmering salted water.
(2) Place the prepared chou paste into a piping bag with a 1 cm plain tube. Pipe it into the simmering water in lengths of about 2 cm, resting the tube on the side of the saucepan and cutting off the lengths with a knife as the paste leaves the bag.
(3) Poach the lengths of paste until cooked (see Note (2) below).
(4) When cooked, if for immediate use, strain the dumplings by either draining in a colander or removing from the water with a spider.
(5) Melt the butter in a shallow pan.
(6) Add the cooked gnocchi, season and heat gently. Add either cream or Sauce Crème (3.16) which should be of a light consistency. Gently incorporate all the ingredients with a metal spoon or by a tossing and shaking motion.
(7) Transfer the preparation to an earthenware dish.
(8) Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and melted butter.
(9) Lightly gratinate under a salamander grill.
Notes:
(1) When piping the paste into the simmering water it is necessary to dip the knife into hot water from time to time to prevent sticking.
(2) Whilst cooking the dumplings will swell in size and become light in colour. They are cooked when they become firm to the touch.
(3) Instead of tossing the cooked dumplings in butter they may be placed directly into a buttered earthenware dish and coated with the sauce.
(4) To store, drain the cooked dumplings, transfer them to a basin of cold water and keep in a refrigerator.
Assessment of the completed dish:
Gnocchi Parisienne should be very light and firm on the outside but smooth and soft textured on the inside.