Saturday 31 March 2012




Gnocchi

We love preparing gnocchi. They are really simple to make and you can even use up some leftovers from the fridge, either by including them in the sauce or simply by popping them into the gnocchi dough.

Jessie’s Sweet Potato and Parmesan Gnocchi
with Sage and Hazelnut butter
(serves 4)

1kg sweet potatoes
280g plain flour
1egg
50g parmesan finely grated
½ tsp nutmeg
Salt and pepper

160g unsalted butter
60g hazelnuts, roasted and crushed
Large bunch of sage leaves

Roast the sweet potatoes in the oven until tender. Remove the skin and pass through a potato ricer and mash into a large bowl to form a smooth mixture.Add the parmesan, nutmeg and egg and mix, then add the flour until you have a smooth pliable dough. The amount of flour may wary depending on the sweet potatoes.
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead into a smooth dough. Divide and roll into sausages and cut into 2cm dumplings.
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and add the gnocchi in batches (don’t crowd) and cook until they float to the surface (about 2-3 minutes)
Meanwhile melt the butter in a pan until foaming. Add the sage leaves and fry briefly until crisp. Continue heating the butter until slightly golden and nutty in colour and smell and then add the hazelnuts pieces. 
Once the gnocchi is ready drain and then whilst still hot, toss into the butter sage sauce and coat.
Divide into warmed bowls and sprinkle with extra parmesan shavings.



Potato Gnocchi with Pesto
(serves 4)

500g cooked potatoes, grated
250g plain flour 
1 whole egg & 1 yolk
10g softened butter
Salt and pepper

2 handfuls of basil
1 clove of garlic
50g toasted pine nuts (extra for topping)
50g grated parmesan cheese
Lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil
250g halved cherry tomatoes
Dash of olive oil
Dash of balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
Pinch of sugar

Place the tomatoes into a deep baking tray and pour the oil and vinegar over them, season with salt, sugar and pepper and leave in a low oven (150 C) for a couple of hours until softened
For the pesto, blitz the garlic with a little pinch of salt, pine nuts and basil and blitz further (keep chunky)
Add the parmesan and blitz for a couple seconds
Add enough olive oil to bind
Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice

For the gnocchi, add  flour, eggs, butter and salt to the grated potatoes and add 2 tablespoons of the pesto 
Knead until you get a smooth dough
Roll into little finger shapes and set aside (or roll into little balls)
You could keep this in the fridge for a few days or freeze to use later
Bring a pan of salted water to boil
Place gnocchi into the boiling water and boil until they come to the surface (about 2 minutes)
Mix with pesto, tomatoes and some extra pine nuts
You can also fry some pancetta cubes and serve them on top.

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