Comfort food comes in many different shapes and forms. Each culture, each tradition, each household, each individual has a dish that is comforting to them. Comfort foods tend to be soft, warm and not overly seasoned. This Italian gnocchi al forno takes the flavors of a Jewish comfort food: matzoh ball soup, and puts them into a warm, oven-baked, cheesy, saucy dish.

This is made with pre-made gnocchi so it is a quick and easy recipe for any day of the week. The lemon adds brightness to the rich sauce. Italians understand the glory of this fruit and as Italian poet Eugenio Montale wrote: “… now it’s our turn, us poor ones, to have a share of riches/ and it’s the scent of the lemon.”

Lemon Dill Gnocchi al Forno with Roasted Carrots

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb of carrots, smaller carrots are best but not baby carrots
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 package of gnocchi (1 lb)
• 1 bunch of Lacinto kale
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• 2 1/4 cups of whole milk
• 4 Tbsp. of unsalted butter
• 5 Tbsp. of all purpose flour
• 2 cups of grated mozzarella
• 1 Tbsp. of olive oil
• 3 tsp. of dried dill or 1 Tbsp. fresh dill
• 2 tsp. of kosher salt, divided
• fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 375℉. While the oven is heating up, put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Peel the carrots and leave them whole. Line a cookie sheet or roasting pan with parchment. Put the carrots on the parchment and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. of salt.

2.  Roast the carrots in the oven for 30-45 minutes.

3.  Once the water comes to a boil, put the gnocchi into the boiling water. The gnocchi take 3-5 minutes to cook. Once the gnocchi float to the top of the water, they are cooked. Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and put them on a plate or baking dish.

4.  Grate the mozzarella. Chop the kale into thin slices. Set both aside. Once the carrots come out of the oven, raise the temperature to 400℉.

5.  In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the dill to the butter and let the butter cook a little until it is nice and foamy.

Add in the flour and mix it together until you have a paste. Cook the paste in the pan for a few minutes.

Once the paste begins to bubble a little at the edges, add in 1/2 cup of wine, stir and cook down for 3-4 minutes. Add in the zest of 1/4-1/2 a lemon. Then 1 cup at a time, add in the whole milk.

Stir together until the sauce thickens and the flour paste is incorporated. Add in the cheese and stir until the cheese melts completely.

6.  In a large baking dish, or several small dishes, put a layer of kale into the bottom of the dish. Top with a layer of gnocchi and then pour a generous amount of the cheese sauce over top. Top the cheese with some freshly ground pepper.

7.  Cook the lemon and dill gnocchi al forno uncovered for 30-40 minutes. The sauce will bubble and caramelize slightly. Serve the gnocchi with a side of roasted carrots, and a glass of chilled white wine.

Buon Appetito!