Gnocchi Mac and Cheese

It's time for another Recipe Swap! The theme for this swap was Blogger's Choice, so I received Tasty Treats by Tina, and I could choose any recipe from her blog that I wanted to make.

It's getting cooler here in New Jersey.  To me, it feels like the humidity has left the air, and it has been hitting the low to mid-70s everyday instead of the low to mid-90s.  I thought I'd try to make something a little more comforting and fall-like, and landed on this Gnocchi Mac and Cheese.

I've only had gnocchi twice, and both times were at Olive Garden.  I thought the dishes were very good, and my favorite is their Chicken and Gnocchi soup.  I'm going to try to re-create that dish from A Taste of Home Cooking sometime this fall too. Can't wait.

Check out Tina's blog for other tasty creations.

Gnocchi Mac and Cheese
barely adapted from Tasty Treats by Tina
Ingredients
6 slices bacon  
1 sweet onion, diced
2 tablespoons white cooking wine
1 pound gnocchi
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 tablespoon flour
1 Cup milk
1/2 Cup Gruyere Cheese, shredded
1/2 Cup Fontina Cheese, shredded
1/2 Cup Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, shredded

Directions 
1) Preheat oven to 375.
2) Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium low heat, turning frequently until crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate, chop and set aside. 
3) Add onion and cooking wine to the skillet with the bacon grease and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and caramelized, anywhere from about 30 minutes.
4) Drop the gnocchi into a pot of salted boiling water and cook until they float to the top, 2-3 minutes. Drain in a colander then return gnocchi to the pot.
5) Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and sage and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 
6) Add the flour and whisk until it bubbles, then add the milk. Cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
7) Add the Gruyere and Fontina and stir until melted. Mix in the bacon and caramelized onions. Pour over the gnocchi and stir until combined.
8) Transfer the gnocchi and sauce to a lightly oiled baking dish and cover with the Parmesan cheese.  
9) Bake until the cheese is golden and bubbly, about 25 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

I appologize for the picture.  It isn't the best.  However, this mac and cheese is fantastic.  The bacon and the caramelized onion add such flavor to the gnocchi, which are soft and amazing.  This was the perfect fall-type dish, and I can't wait to make more things with gnocchi.