Boursin, Bacon and Broccoli Gnocchi
This Boursin, Bacon and Broccoli Gnocchi is rich, creamy and couldn't be easier to make!
Servings: 4 modest portions
Cost: £3 / $4
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Small Baking Tray (for roasting broccoli)
- Large Pan & Wooden Spoon
- Large Pot & Slotted Spoon (for cooking gnocchi)
- Jug (for stock
- Fine Cheese Grater
Ingredients
- 250g / 9oz Broccoli, sliced into small bite-sized pieces (weight is of the sliced broccoli)
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 tsp EACH: Salt, Black Pepper, plus more as needed
- 150g / 5.3oz Streaky Bacon, diced
- 2 small Shallots, finely diced
- 180ml / 3/4 cup low-salt Chicken Stock (see notes)
- 1x 150g/5.3oz block of Garlic & Herb Boursin Cheese, leave at room temp
- 60ml / 1/4 cup Single Cream/Half & Half, leave at room temp
- 20g / 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 500g / 1lb uncooked Gnocchi (see notes)
- 1 tbsp finely diced Fresh Parsley, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/390F. Add the broccoli to a small baking tray and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 15-18 minutes, or until lightly charred and fork tender (timings will vary so just be vigilant).
- Meanwhile, add the bacon to a large pan over medium heat and fry until crispy with the fat rendered down. Remove the bacon and place to one side, leaving the excess fat in the pan. Add the shallots and fry until soft and golden.
- Pour in the stock then stir in the Boursin until it melts. Stir in the cream and parmesan, then gently simmer for a couple of minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.
- During this time bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook for 1 minute, then use a slotted spoon to transfer it into the sauce. Stir to coat the gnocchi in the sauce, then stir in the bacon and broccoli. Turn the heat to low and gently stir for another minute or so until the sauce re-thickens. If it over-thickens at any point just stir in a splash of the leftover gnocchi water.
- Check for seasoning and adjust if needed, then serve with fresh parsley and enjoy!
Video
Notes
a) Gnocchi - Usually takes 2 minutes to cook. I recommend just doing 1 minute for this recipe, just to partly cook it and get rid of most of the starch. It will then finish cooking in the pan. Make sure you don't drain away the leftover water as this is very useful for thinning out the sauce without diluting the flavour or turning it watery (the starch helps emulsify the sauce).
b) Broccoli - Some light charring is inevitable, but if it's starts charring too aggressively before it's tender, just turn the heat down slightly.
c) Stock - I use low-salt stock for this recipe as I find the Boursin adds enough. I recommend low-salt Oxo cubes as 1 cube provides the perfect amount of stock for this recipe.
d) Calories/Serving - This will offer 4 smallish portions (great with a side salad). Calories are the whole recipe divided by 4.
Nutrition
Calories: 534kcal | Carbohydrates: 30.01g | Protein: 14.22g | Fat: 40.67g | Saturated Fat: 14.303g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.288g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8.527g | Trans Fat: 0.045g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 1134mg | Potassium: 657mg | Fiber: 3.2g | Sugar: 5.1g | Vitamin A: 1190IU | Vitamin C: 59mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 2.13mg