There’s some debate on the best method for making gnocchi – baking the potatoes can yield fine results – but the type of potato you use is the key. Too floury and the gnocchi will absorb too much water while they’re cooking and fall apart; too waxy and they’ll be gluey. For this recipe Nicola potatoes produce light, fluffy gnocchi that hold their shape. This dish works well with a salad of bitter leaves.
Ingredients
Sage brown butter
Method
Main
1.Boil potatoes from a cold start in a saucepan of salted water until easily pierced but not falling apart (15-25 minutes). Drain, then return to pan over high heat to steam dry (1-2 minutes). Pass potatoes through a mouli, potato ricer or coarse sieve (a potato-masher also works, but the gnocchi may contain small lumps of potato) into a bowl, add butter and stir until combined. Add flour, season to taste and stir to bring together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it just comes together. Divide dough into four even pieces and roll each lightly into a 2cm-thick rope. Cut into 2.5cm-3cm pieces and place on a lightly floured tray.
2.For sage brown butter, heat butter in a saucepan over high heat and cook until foaming and nut brown (2-3 minutes). Add sage, swirl pan, then remove from heat. Pour into a heatproof bowl and keep warm.
3.Cook gnocchi in batches in a large saucepan of rapidly simmering salted water until they float to the surface (4-5 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on paper towels. Serve topped with sage brown butter, walnuts and parmesan. (Gnocchi can be browned in a hot frying pan with a little sage brown butter first or served as they are.)
Drink Suggestion: Textural fiano Drink suggestion by Max Allen
Notes
