Gnocchi with pancetta radicchio and blue cheese

Gnocchi con pancetta, radicchio e bergader blu

I am positively addicted to Italian food magazines, and I think one of them inspired this primo piatto recipe for gnocchi with pancetta radicchio and blue cheese.

For those who do not have an Italian supermarket around the corner, some of the ingredients may seem exotic, but they can easily be replaced by eg. bacon cubes and some other firm blue cheese. I used Bergader Blu, because it is always available in Italian shops, but it appears it is originally from Germany. Still, it is good in this dish, because it does not melt like Gorgonzola. You can also try the pancetta, radicchio and blue cheese topping with stuffed gnocchi or homemade gnocchi.

Ingredients

100 g pancetta dolce or other kinds of lightly smoked bacon.
1 Onion
1 Clove of garlic
1 Radicchio
3 tbsp parmesan
50 g Bergader Blu or other kinds of firm blue cheese.
Olive oil
Gnocchi

Preparation

Peel and chop onions finely
Fry gently with a whole but peeled clove of garlic.
Remove the softened onions from the heat and save them for later.
Fry the cubed pancetta slowly over medium heat until all the fat has melted.
Wash the radicchio and cut it into small strips.
Add the radicchio to the pancetta along with the onions and fry for 10 minutes until soft.
Stir in grated parmesan and pieces of Bergader Blu to make a creamy sauce
Mix with gnocchi before serving.