Creamy Baked Gnocchi with Kale, Artichoke Hearts & Provolone

Recipe by Alison Needham for the California Milk Advisory Board

In this swoon-worthy baked pasta dish, pillowy gnocchi, bright kale and tender artichoke hearts are cloaked with a garlicky cream sauce and topped with bubbling golden brown provolone.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 35-45 minutes

Yield: serves 6

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a stock pot of water to boil. Quickly blanch the kale for about 30 seconds, until it turns bright green and slightly tender. Remove kale from pot and submerge in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain the kale and then using your hands, squeeze the kale tightly to remove as much water as possible, put in a bowl and set aside.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large, 12-inch, ovenproof skillet. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring often, just until the garlic is softened and is beginning to color, about 2 minutes. Add the flour, whisk well, followed by the heavy cream. Bring to a simmer, whisking often, until the mixture is reduced by ⅓ and becomes thickened, about 5 minutes. Tip: don’t take your eyes off the skillet because cream can bubble over quickly, so you may need to reduce heat as necessary. Whisk in the wine and simmer for 5 minutes more, then whisk in the chicken stock. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Add the kale to the cream mixture in the skillet, and if it’s clumped together, take time to separate the ribbons with two forks. Stir in the artichoke hearts and the gnocchi, making sure that all of the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the cream mixture. Top the gnocchi with the chopped basil, then with the slices of provolone so the entire top is covered with cheese.

Put the skillet into the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown and the gnocchi are tender. Sprinkle the dish with red pepper flakes and additional basil and serve immediately.

Recipe credit: CA Grown

Photo credit: Meg van der Kruik for CA Grown