Looking for a simple twist on a classic recipe? These squid ink gnocchi are the answer! Here I paired them with a simple champagne beurre blanc sauce and lots of crispy prosciutto. If you’re looking for a beautiful dish to impress your family and friends without a whole lot of extra effort, this recipe is for you!
A few years back, I visited my sister and her fiancé in Chicago. My sister has lived in a plethora of tiny apartments, some of which could easily be compared to a sardine can. Eventually she found a beautiful apartment in Lincoln Park. And just across the street was one of the most fantastic Italian restaurants I’ve been to, called Balena.
For my entree I ordered their tagliolini nero dish. Nero means “black” in Italian, and squid ink is what brings a beautiful jet-black color to noodles in dishes such as this. I was inspired by the memories of this delicious pasta dish to create my own “nero” gnocchi!
The squid ink I used is Alma Gourmet Squid Ink. Trust me – a little bit goes a long way! The gnocchi are prepared like traditional gnocchi, but with squid ink added to the dough to give it a rich black color. With such a fancy base to the recipe, I wanted to pair the gnocchi with simple components: a luscious beurre blanc sauce made from champagne and champagne vinegar, as well as super crispy bits of prosciutto.
Now it’s your turn: what is your favorite unique spin on a pasta dish? Share with me by commenting below, and be sure to share your favorite gnocchi recipe!
- 2 lbs. potatoes (2-3 potatoes), peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 cup all-purpose flour + extra for dusting
- ¼ tsp. Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp. squid ink
- 1 tbsp. parmesan cheese, grated
- 1-2 tbsp. milk
- ½ tbsp. olive oil
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 cup Champagne (or Prosecco)
- 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- ½ cup butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 oz. prosciutto, thinly sliced and finely chopped
- Parsley, finely minced (for garnish)
- Add potatoes to a large pot. Fill pot with enough water to cover the potatoes. Season water with salt. Boil potato chunks over high heat until fork tender and allow to cool to room temperature.
- In a small bowl, whisk together egg and squid ink until combined.
- In a large bowl, mash the potatoes, flour, salt and pepper together. Add egg, squid ink, and parmesan cheese and mix until combined. Turn gnocchi dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead lightly for 1-2 minutes. Add more flour if the mixture is too wet, and add milk if the mixture is too dry. Form dough into long cylinders and cut into 1 inch long segments. If desired, crimp into a gnocchi dumpling shape with a fork or with a gnocchi board.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- While water is heating, prepare the sauce. In a small heavy bottomed saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes until shallots are translucent. Add Champagne, white wine vinegar, and pepper. Turn heat up to medium-high and boil until reduced to about ¼ cup of liquid. Whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- To a small skillet over medium heat, add prosciutto bits and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until crispy.
- Once water comes to a boil, add desired amount of gnocchi and cook until they float.
- To assemble dish, place a pile of gnocchi on the plate and top with beurre blanc. Garnish with crispy prosciutto bits and parsley. Enjoy!
Sarah is a food blogger from Metro Detroit who believes that gourmet food should be accessible to all home cooks. 
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I love using squid ink to make pasta but I have not tried it with gnocchi. A great idea and I will have to make this.
Thanks for your comment, Mark! I love using the squid ink for pasta too – it just gives such a stunning color!
oh wow! that looks like it came out straight from a professional kitchen! impressive!
Thank you, Manju! I appreciate your comment!
This looks so exquisite! I have never tried it but you make me want to!
Goodness gracious, this looks so fancy and delicious!!
Thank you so much, Jessica!
I’ve heard of squid ink but I have yet to try it out for myself – your recipe sounds soo good! I’m officially on the look out so I can try it for myself!
Definitely try it out! I linked to a relatively inexpensive product that is the one that I use – I had a hard time finding it in stores but perhaps a specialty fishmonger may be able to help you also!