Green Summer Gnocchi
When I think of the ultimate comfort food, I think of gnocchi, the kind made at home with patience and love. These soft pillowy parcels are like a hug in a bowl and incredibly addictive.
serves 4
What you need
for the gnocchi
900 g floury unpeeled potatoes such as Desiree
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
For the topping
40 button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup of baby caper berries
Handful of fresh thyme, stems removed
Bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil for cooking and drizzling
What to do
for the gnocchi
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and fill with enough cold water to cover well. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer the potatoes (with lid partially on top) until they are tender and easily pierced with a knife, about 30 to 35 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and set them aside until cool enough to handle, then peel them. Cut them in half and pass them through a potato ricer (if you don’t have one, you can simply mash them) into a large bowl. Allow to cool to room temperate.
In a bowl, mix the flour with the salt and then add the potatoes. Mix with your hands until the flour is moistened and the dough starts to clump together. Don’t worry if the dough is a bit crumbly.
Gather the dough together and turn out on to floured surface and knead gently until the flour is fully incorporated and the dough is soft and smooth. Be careful not to overwork it, as you want the gnocchi to be light and airy. Set aside under a tea towel so it doesn’t dry out.
Lay some baking paper down and sprinkle with flour, then grab a handful of dough and roll into a long sausage about 2 cm thick. Using a sharp knife of pasta cutter, cut the dough every 2 cm and if you have one, use a gnocchi board to roll your dough into a cute shape. If you don’t have a gnocchi board, just use a fork to make little ridges in the pasta. Then arrange in a single layer on the baking paper, making sure they don’t touch. Repeat until you run out of dough, sprinkle with a bit more flour and cover with a tea towel until ready to cook.
to cook
Bring a large pot of water to the boil, drop in your pasta and when the gnocchi floats to the top it is ready to eat.
For the topping
Drizzle a bit of olive oil in large pan and place on medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until well coloured, then add the garlic and cook for a minute. Remove from heat. Add the rest of the ingredients and give it a quick toss.
Combine the gnocchi and the topping and serve immediately, drizzled with a good dose of olive oil. This dish is great with a cool glass of sauvignon blanc.
tips
If you don't use all the gnocchi right away, you can freeze them. Put the gnocchi in the freezer while they’re still on the baking sheets and freeze until they are hard to the touch, and then place them into zip-top bags and freeze for up to two months.