Choosing what to have for dinner can be a tricky task.
If pasta is always your go-to dish, it could be time to switch things up a little with some gnocchi – a family of dumpling in Italian cuisine.
Masha Rener, the head chef at Lina Stores, has created a seasonal gnocchi recipe that’s ideal for this time of year, when you’re craving something filling yet fresh.
Also, if you’ve always wanted to know how to make gnocchi, she breaks it down into some easy steps.
Her recipe makes enough for two and is perfect for summer, featuring fresh asparagus and semi-dried tomatoes.
It’s also a lovely dish to have in your culinary repertoire for when friends come over, as it doesn’t require an overwhelming amount of ingredients – just some cupboard and fridge staples along with some seasonal produce.
See how to make Masha’s quick, vegetable gnocchi below:
Ingredients:
For the fresh gnocchi dough:
- 500g cooked mashed potatoes (use floury potatoes)
- 100g plain flour
- 2 egg yolks
- 100g Grana Padano Riserva, grated
- 30g salt
- A pinch of nutmeg
- Some extra flour for dusting
For the sauce:
- 150g fresh asparagus, washed
- 30g semi-dried tomatoes
- 40g Grana Padano Riserva, grated
- A pinch of black pepper
- A pinch of lemon zest
- A pinch of grated garlic
- 30ml hot water
- 50ml extra virgin olive oil
Method:
1. Starting with the gnocchi dough, combine the mashed potatoes, flour, salt, egg yolk, nutmeg and grated Grana Padano Riserva by hand in a bowl. Then place on your wooden board and work the dough by hand until well combined. Place the dough back in the bowl and top with a clean cloth to avoid it drying out.
2. While your dough is resting, prepare the vegetables by removing the tough, woody base of the asparagus, then cut each asparagus into 1cm pieces. Cut the semi-dried tomatoes into three pieces each.
3. To make the sauce, combine the Grana Padano Riserva, black pepper, garlic and lemon zest in a bowl. Then add hot water to the bowl and whisk the ingredients until emulsified and fully combined. Cover and leave at room temperature.
4. Fill a big pot with salted water and bring to a constant boil.
5. Start making the gnocchi on the wooden board by dividing the dough into 4 equal parts. Roll each part into a long log, about 1cm thick. Then cut each log into 1cm long pieces. Pass each piece over a grater, a gnocchi board or the back of a fork to create the signature gnocchi pattern by rolling it across with your thumb. If needed, sprinkle with a little extra flour so the dough doesn’t stick on the grater, board or fork.
6. Warm the extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan on a low heat and add the semi-dried tomatoes. Let them sizzle away slowly. This will bring out the flavour of the tomatoes.
7. Boil the asparagus for 4 minutes in the pot of salted water, before adding the gnocchi. They are cooked when they rise to the top, which should take around 2-3 minutes.
8. Remove the asparagus and gnocchi from the pot using a colander or a slotted spoon and add directly to the pan with the extra virgin olive oil and tomatoes. Toss together and add the Grana Padano sauce. Mix until well incorporated.
9. Divide between two plates, top with a few semi-dried tomatoes and extra Grana Padano Riserva.
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