Fresh: Pip’s Super Easy, Super Delish Gnocchi

I like to make gnocchi very often.  I really love it with a simple tomato sauce (enriched with some carrot for a bit of a vegetable boost!) I also make it sometimes with a slow cooked sauce, made from gravy beef. That’s pretty ace too.  You can make this gnocchi and sauce and have it all on the table in 45 minutes.  It’s a teeny bit messy, but it’s fun to do, and it’s a good one for kids to help with. Everyone likes rolling out sausages made from dough, right?!

I always, always use Desiree or Pontiac potatoes.  They work every time.  Some other varieties might result in a gluey finish, so take my advice and stick to the winning spuds!

Let’s make gnocchi, Pip-Style!

Pip’s Super Easy, Super Delish Gnocchi!

For The Gnocchi
1kg of peeled Desiree potatoes (the pink ones!)
1 egg
250g plain flour +  a bit extra

For The Tomato Sauce
2 tins of diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 carrot, peeled and chopped roughly
1 onion, peeled and chopped roughly
1 clove of garlic , peeled
a sprig of fresh herbs
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a slosh or two of olive oil

First put the potatoes on: Slice the peeled potatoes into thick slices and boil until tender.

While they are cooking, make the tomato sauce:  Blitz the carrot, onion and garlic in the blender until finely diced. Slosh some oil in a wide pan or large frypan and fry the diced mix for 5 minutes or so over a medium low heat.  Be careful not to burn it! A little bit of catching here and there is totally fine, though.  Then tip in the tinned tomatoes.  Stir well.  Next add the tomato paste and mix well.  Add 1/2 cup of water and simmer for 20 minutes or so over a low heat.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and leave on a low simmer.

Then make the gnocchi:   Mash the boiled spuds well with a masher, trying to get rid of most of the lumps.  Allow to cool for ten minutes.  Now mix in the egg and the flour with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms. Put on a pot of salted water to boil.   Flour your work surface and roll lumps of your dough into  smooth sausage shapes (about 3/4 of an inch thick.)  Cut the sausages into one inch pieces and plonk them into the boiling water ten or so at a time.  They are cooked when they float. When they are cooked, carefully lift them out of the water, drain and plonk into the simmering sauce.  Continue rolling, cooking and plonking until your dough is all used up.

Serve your gnocchi with lots of salt and pepper and the fresh herbs to garnish. Y to the UM!

Do you want to make gnocchi, too?!

xx Pip

This post is part of the Coles Fresh and Real story. Fresh food to inspire.