By Matthew Luca
The Italian dumpling (Gnocchi) are a delightful way to start any meal. They are served with a variation of sauces and styles. This version for me is about showing off Gnocchi in it's best light and I have made mine larger than normal (Grande) as well as a rounded ball version of Gnocchi. Like pasta you can find them in a few different shapes. For my Irish audience this would be the Italian version of a Potato Boxty.
Ingredients (Gnocchi) Serves 4
4 Medium sized Potatoes (Irish Roosters or King Edwards)
1 egg
1 tsp salt
200g plain flour or 00 flour (extra for dusting)
My Method
Peel the potatoes and rinse off any dirt under a cold tap, on a chopping board cut them into cubes (diced) and put into a heavy based saucepan, ensuring you do not wash off the starch as this will help bind the Gnocchi. Cover with water, add a little salt and boil for around 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are soft enough for mashing (a knife will pass through the potato with little resistance.
When ready drain off water through a sieve and shake off any excess water, return potatoes to the pan and press with a potato masher whilst on a medium heat until light, fluffy and dry. Remove from the heat, season with a little salt if required and spread the mash potato evenly on the bottom of the pan and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Using a fork loosen up the potato add 50g of the flour and keep moving around with a fork. Make a well in the middle and crack in the egg, start folding the potato into the egg and combine to form a rough dough while adding a little more flour at a time to form a dryer dough. knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and not sticky.
Form dough into a ball and cut into 4 equal parts, then on a lightly floured surface roll the quarter into a small ball and then roll out with both hands to form a cylinder shape. Cut into 2 inch pieces and grab two forks from the kitchen drawer. Place the forks next to each other on a work surface and place a Gnocchi to cover both fork ends, then using a finger slightly push down and up on the gnocchi to the tip of the forks and then gently roll the gnocchi back to you. (this shaping is entirely optional).
In a large heavy based pan with water, bring to the boil and cook the Gnocchi pieces for around 5 minutes or around 1 minute after rising to the top of the water (floating). Serve immediately.
Ingredients (Almond & Herb Salsa)
1 tbsp Almond flakes
1 clove Garlic
Handful fresh Basil
Handful fresh Parsley
4 tbsp Sesame Oil or Olive Oil
1 tbsp Fresh Lemon juice
Pinch of black pepper
Method
Add all ingredients into a food processor and roughly blend until combined. Spoon over the Gnocchi when serving. I also served a slice of tomato on top of the ball with some pickled red cabbage and anchovy.
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