Gnocchi in Creamy Pork Sauce

Sometimes I struggle to decide on how to start a post.  

About how best to draw you in.

I'm sure you notice that there are long periods of time between posts.  Half the time it's because I have no idea what to say to engage you, the reader, and the other half of the time it's because I have no idea what I should post next, because everything I want to share with you is so good its hard to know where to start.

And here we are at the beginning.  How to start.

I figure if you're here, you probably don't mind the little tid bits and pieces I tell you and that you probably enjoy the recipes I share.

So I guess the truth is that - I can always start however it feels right.

I looked at this recipe many, MANY times after Michelle shared it on her blog.

Everything about it was right up my alley.

It starts with very few ingredients.

First, an evenly chopped onion.  Make sure the pieces are all the relatively same size, but it doesn't need to be diced.

Place the onions in the bowl of a slow cooker, add the minced garlic.

Then place the pork shoulder on top.  Michelle's recipe calls for a bone-in shoulder, but I could only get a boneless.  Either is fine.

Pour one can of the crushed tomatoes over top of the pork shoulder.

Sprinkle the Italian seasoning over top.

And salt and pepper.  I used 1 teaspoon salt and about 1 teaspoon pepper.

Cover with the second can of crushed tomatoes.

Cover and cook on low for 11 hours.

Yes.  ELEVEN hours.

I put this in at about midnight and then went to bed.  It was done about 11 am and then I shredded it and let it sit in the slow cooker on the warm setting until later in the afternoon.

Cause I was not about to get up at 5 am to start it.  hahahahahaha - never.

If you're concerned about food safety.  You could start it earlier in the evening so that it finishes earlier in the morning, and keep it in the fridge until a couple of hours before you want to serve it.  I would suggest setting it to warm to start heating (I worry about the bowl cracking if it's too hot) and then turning it to low after its warmed through.

About an hour before you want to serve, you'll need to add in cream and dried gnocchi.  I find this gnocchi in the pasta aisle.  There is a fresh-type gnocchi in the fresh pasta section at the grocery store.  Don't use that one.  It'll get too soggy.

Pour in the cream.

Stir in the gnocchi.  Cover and let cook on low for 1 hour.

When you're ready, serve with crusty bread, or garlic bread, or (EVEN BETTER) cheesy garlic bread, or soft buns.  Really whatever carb your heart desires.

And a Caesar salad - just to green things up.

Oh - and I totally recommend using parmesan cheese on top.

Oh kids.  You're going to have leftovers for DAYS.  This makes a HUGE bunch of food.

I would recommend making for a big bunch of company or for a potluck.

Considering that there is almost no spice in this dish aside from the garlic, onion, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper - there is a ton of flavour.  And I have no idea where it comes from.  It's rich and complex and the meat is tender and both the gnocchi and pork kind of melt in your mouth.

And it was fantastic leftover.  I would even recommend cutting up crusty French bread and making an open sandwich with it.  That would be just a thing of glory.

One more thing before I go - freezing leftovers.  The pork will freeze beautifully, but the gnocchi gets kind of gross after its frozen.  Just something to keep in mind.

Enjoy!

xoxo - Heather

Gnocchi in Creamy Pork Sauce

1 medium yellow onion, evenly chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

4 to 5 pound bone-in pork shoulder

2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes

1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 pounds dried gnocchi

Parmesan cheese, for serving

1. Spread the onion and garlic in the bottom of the bowl of a slow cooker.
2. Place the pork shoulder on top of the onions and garlic.
3. Cover the pork shoulder with one can of crushed tomatoes.
4. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
5. Pour the second can of crushed tomatoes over top.
6. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 11 hours.
7. Remove the shoulder from the slow cooker, remove the fat cap and shred the meat.  Stir the pork back into the crushed tomatoes.
8. About 1 hour before serving, stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream and 2 pounds of gnocchi.  Cover and cook on low for 1 hour.
9. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
   

https://www.browneyedbaker.com/slow-cooker-gnocchi-pork-cream-sauce/