If you have ever eaten fresh Gnocchi then you know all about this amazing comfort food! ....., those fluffy pillows of heaven, a perfect vessel for any saucy component you can conjure up! Even on their own with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and grated parmesan..... Its's just plain silly !
Perfect for any of these chilly nights upon us, pop open some vino and enjoy one of life's many gifts!
Gnocchi may seem difficult to make, but they are fairly straightforward, the curling of them on the fork is the most technical, but to be honest you can cut them small and plop them in hot water and they are more than fine. The fork marks aid any sauce to hold on better. My Gnocchi curling still needs some work but it's alot of fun trying to shape them.
There are more than a few you tube videos and I found this one on Jamie Oliver's Food Tube with Gennaro to be very helpful !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRmPcaGAG0s
I decided to go with a mixture of Yam and Potato for colour and sweetness, a bit of goats cheese to make them lighter, ricotta works well too.
Ingredients - this is enough for 6 servings
Directions
For the sauce
.................mmmmmMMMMM and all was quiet !
Perfect for any of these chilly nights upon us, pop open some vino and enjoy one of life's many gifts!
Gnocchi may seem difficult to make, but they are fairly straightforward, the curling of them on the fork is the most technical, but to be honest you can cut them small and plop them in hot water and they are more than fine. The fork marks aid any sauce to hold on better. My Gnocchi curling still needs some work but it's alot of fun trying to shape them.
There are more than a few you tube videos and I found this one on Jamie Oliver's Food Tube with Gennaro to be very helpful !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRmPcaGAG0s
I decided to go with a mixture of Yam and Potato for colour and sweetness, a bit of goats cheese to make them lighter, ricotta works well too.
Ingredients - this is enough for 6 servings
- 1 large yam (lb)
- 1 large potato (lb)
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 1 cup ricotta or 1/2 cup goats cheese
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- roughly 2.5 cups white flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- few sprigs of thyme
- 1/2 tsp cracked pepper
Directions
- Pierce the yam and potato with a fork.
- Bake the them with skins on until tender and fully cooked, between 40 to 55 minutes depending on size on 400 F.
- Cool slightly. Cut in half and scoop the flesh into a food processor. Add the parmesan, ricotta cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg,egg and thyme and blend until smooth.
- Transfer to a big mixing bowl.
- Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms.
- Knead until all flour is incorporated and dough comes away from bowl.
- Lightly flour a work surface and place the dough in a ball on the work surface.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal balls. Roll out each ball into a 1-inch wide rope. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces.
- roll each small 1 inch piece into a ball then flatten over the tines of a fork.
- Transfer the formed gnocchi to a large baking sheet. Continue with the remaining gnocchi.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the gnocchi in 3 batches and cook until they float. They will be tender but still firm to the bite.
- add to the sauce of your choosing,
For the sauce
- roast off some chopped beets, brussell sprouts, 2 whole carrots, and a squash in the oven on 375. Roughly 40 minutes
- then scoop out the squash and add it to a heated frying pan with 1/2 cup of ricotta, 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup goats cheese, add a bit of water until it reaches the consistency you like. Season to taste and then add your brussell sprouts to the pan. Add our beets last after the gnocchi so the sauce doesn't go purple!
- Drain and add the fresh gnocchi
- split your carrots in quarters down the middle longways and place 2 ontop of each bowl with a sprig of thyme.
- garnIsh with more parmesan
.................mmmmmMMMMM and all was quiet !