Creamy Vegan Black Truffle Gnocchi

I don’t know about you, but NYE is a tad overrated. 
I spent years (as in most of my adult life) in the restaurant industry celebrating the New Year with strangers and staff; I was the “hostess with the mostess”. Serving others and making it look seamless and joyful while inside all I wanted to be doing was celebrating with my loves. By the time I left the restaurant, the party would be over or everyone would be so shit-faced I wouldn’t want to be there anyway. 

Since leaving the industry 5 year ago, I’ve wanted to keep things low key. Although, there was this one year that we got dolled up and went to a fancy hotel (and had someone do for me, what I did for years!) 

Seeing as the mister and I were going to be cozy and alone for NYE I thought why not splurge a little and spoil ourselves with something decadent? All the years I spent slicing (drooling) truffles over peoples risottos and pastas and I had never done it for myself! That had to change, and it did! 

Truffles are tubers that grow underground at the base of trees. They grow all over the world and are among the most expensive food finds in the world. Truffle “dealers” are a small and mysterious bunch with highly trained dogs (used to be pigs and boars but that was extremely dangerous) and have almost a cult-like following. These little shrooms can go for thousands of dollars a pound and can be traded like gold. My little black truffle cost me $90 and I used the entire thing for 2 plates of gnocchi. It was worth every penny.

You can buy white or black truffles. The white ones tend to be more expensive and are much more fragrant. They are a thing of beauty but if you can only find the black, you’ll be just fine. My mister isn’t a huge truffle fan which might make you wonder “why in the heck is she spending all that money?” Turns out he only thought he wasn’t a fan. 

Foods like truffles can be overpowering if done excessively. Truffle oil is much stronger than the tuber and too much could ruin your dish if you’re not careful. I think Rick had fallen prey to a heavy handed chef or 2 because he loved this gnocchi!

The cream sauce for this pasta is the same base as all my cream sauces. Yes, you guessed it.. CASHEWS. Cashews are key to making this sauce super rich and creamy. I have had many people with tree nut allergies ask if there is a substitute and while I have yet to try; I THINK sunflower seeds would work in a pinch. 

I kept it simple and used gluten-free store bought gnocchi.