Creamy Baked Gnocchi with Sausage and Kale

Justin Chapple's Creamy Baked Gnocchi with Sausage and Kale is a weeknight winner, inspired by Sage. Store-bought gnocchi helps this creamy meal come together easily, and the recipe can also be made ahead of time.
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Ingredients (6-8 servings):
8 oz. torn kale leaves
6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
12 whole sage leaves, plus 1 Tbsp minced
2 Tbsp butter
Two 12-oz. packages refrigerated potato gnocchi
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed & meat crumbled
1 large onion, halved & thinly sliced vertically
4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Kosher salt & black pepper
1/4 c. minced hot cherry peppers
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 qt whole milk, room temp
3 oz. sharp white cheddar cheese or Gruyère, grated
3 oz. grated parmesan
Pinch of grated nutmeg
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375F. In a Dutch oven of salted boiling water, blanch kale until wilted and just tender, 2-3 min. Transfer to a colander to drain and cool; squeeze out excess water.
2. In a braiser, heat oil over med-high until it shimmers. Add sage leaves and cook until sizzling nearly stops, 20-30 sec. Transfer to a paper towel to drain.
3. In the braiser, melt butter in the sage oil over med-high. In batches, add gnocchi and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden and slightly puffed, ~5 min. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate. Reserve ¼ cup of the fat from the pan.
4. In a large Dutch oven, heat the ¼ cup reserved fat over med-high. Add sausage and cook until starting to render, ~3 min. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and sausage is cooked through, ~8 min. Stir in hot peppers and sage and cook 30 sec more.
5. Sprinkle flour evenly over sausage mixture. Cook over med, stirring until a film starts to form on the bottom, 2-3 min. Gradually stir in milk until smooth. Simmer over med-low, stirring often, until thickened, 6-8 min. Stir in 2/3 of the cheeses and nutmeg, season with salt and pepper.
6. Add gnocchi and kale to the sausage mixture; mix well. Scrape into a large baking dish and top with the remaining cheeses. Bake 18-20 min until bubbling. Broil until browned on top, about 2 min. Top with crispy sage leaves.

[@BM8NY]

looks great !!