Idaho Potato Gnocchi Coeur D'Alene

From: Executive chef Rod Jessick, The Coeur d'Alene Resort, Idaho. Yield: 8 servings.

IDAHO^® POTATO GNOCCHI:

4 Idaho Russet Potatoes, 1 lb. each

1¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

to taste, salt

PARMESAN CREAM:

1 block Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated into ribbons, rind reserved

2-4 cups heavy cream

to taste, kosher salt

to taste, white pepper

to taste, Worcestershire sauce

FILLING:

1-1½ lb. fresh baby spinach

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

12 artichoke quarters

2 Tbsp. chopped garlic and shallots

4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

to taste, salt and pepper

2 oz. white wine

1 vine-ripe red tomato, peeled, julienned, rough-chopped and seasoned with 1-2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper

3 slices prosciutto, baked until crisp in 350°-400°F oven

For Idaho Potato Gnocchi: Bake potatoes for 1 hour in convection oven, then cut off ends. Cut in half and remove insides, reserving pulp and leaving up to ¼" of potato attached to the skin. Crisp shells in deep fryer until golden. Press reserved potato pulp through a food mill.

In a bowl, sprinkle potatoes with a good pinch of salt and flour, working in flour with a wooden spoon. Knead dough gently for 5 minutes on lightly floured surface. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Divide dough into equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope ¾" in diameter and 8-10" long. Cut equally into ¾"-long pieces, and roll each with tines of a fork. Bring pot of salted water to a boil and cook gnocchi in batches until they rise to the top of the water. Remove them with a slotted spoon. Keep warm.

For Parmesan Cream: Place Parmigiano-Reggiano rind in a small nonreactive pot with heavy cream. Slowly bring almost to a boil, then simmer for 30-45 minutes over low heat. Strain; the more rind, the better the cream. In a saute pan over medium heat, add 4 oz. heavy cream and bring to a quick boil. Add a generous pinch of Parmesan ribbons, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Add cooked gnocchi and 1 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts. Set aside.

To plate: While cooking Parmesan Cream, heat 1 Tbsp. shallots in a pan with garlic and olive oil. Add artichokes and two large handfuls of spinach. Season with salt and pepper and 1 oz. of white wine to quickly wilt spinach mixture. Place the crisped baked potato boats on a pan and fill with a quarter of an artichoke, then some of the spinach mixture. Top with 8 of the gnocchi and some of the Parmesan Cream. Place under the broiler to gratin the top. Surround with additional spinach mixture and 2 pieces of artichoke. Drizzle with sauce and garnish with fresh tomato concasse. Place crispy prosciutto into potato gnocchi as a garnish. Serve immediately.