Food and Prop Styling by Goldie Stern
Food Prep and Consulting by Chaya Suri Goldberger
Photography by Felicia Perretti

Light and fluffy gnocchi is delicious but finicky, especially when cooking in advance for a crowd. Enter the unapologetically rich, creamy comfort-food version of gnocchi. This is where fully loaded baked potato meets macaroni and cheese.

SERVES 12

• 3 16-oz (450-g) pkgs Tuscanini gnocchi
• ½ cup milk
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 6 oz (170 g) freshly grated mild cheddar cheese
• 8 oz (225 g) mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup frozen mini broccoli florets
• 1 8-oz (225-g) pkg cremini mushrooms, sliced and sautéed
• ¼ cup panko crumbs
• ¼ cup cornflake crumbs
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook gnocchi according to package directions and drain. Transfer to a 9x13-inch (23x33-cm) pan.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

In the same pot, heat milk and flour, stirring until thickened. Add heavy cream, salt, and pepper, and stir. Mix in cheddar and mozzarella cheeses and stir until melted.

Pour the mixture over the gnocchi. Add broccoli to one half and sautéed mushrooms to the other half and lightly mix each side so the vegetables are incorporated. Top the broccoli half with a light sprinkle of panko crumbs and the mushroom half with cornflake crumbs. Sprinkle Parmesan over the whole thing.

Bake until the cheese on top is brown and the whole thing is bubbly, about 20 minutes.

(If preparing in advance, assemble and then cover and refrigerate without baking. Bake from the fridge covered for 20 minutes and uncovered for 20 minutes.)

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 821)