Gnocch gnocch

Monday, February 21, 2011

Who's there?
Pesto
Pesto who?
Pesto me long enough and I'll make some gnocchi!

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Okay okay. Maybe I should stick to what I know instead of trying to make up knock knock jokes.

Hubs and I went shopping together a week ago (side note: Hubs and I don't grocery shop well together - I like to go in with my list, shop and leave. He likes to browse. And when Hubs is around, I can't make decisions. I have to ask his opinion on everything. Such a pain!) and Hubs suggested I try to cook gnocchi some time. On another side note, we went out to lunch with my parents and K&K in Brisbane and Kturtle had the BEST gnocchi I've ever tasted. It was so light and fluffy and not at all rubbery.

The thing about cooking gnocchi (or so I read) is that it can range from disintegrating in the saucepan to a rubbery chewy concoction, or anything in between, and we've all had chewy gnocchi, am I right? (I've been watching The Sopranos and they always say that. Am I right?) (Enough with the side notes).

So, as with many of my cooking adventures, I took Hubs' suggestion and gave it a go on Saturday. Gnocchi is quite "simple" but there are a lot of techniques (again, so I read) that can give you great gnocchi. I don't know if it was beginner's luck, but I've got to say, my gnocchi rocked.

Here's what to do: I followed this recipe pretty much word for word. Start by boiling the potatoes whole with the skins on, peel them and scrape/mash them with a fork.


Then pile them up, add the egg and flour, and incorporate it with a spatula:

Roll them into logs and cut them up:

And then make them pretty with a fork (granted, this wasn't my best work):

Throw them into some boiling water with some salt and fish them out once they float to the top:

Mix through some home-made basil pesto (recipe found in this book that my lovely friend gave me for my birthday last year) - I figured I'd go all out - consisting of basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan and oil, and throw together some green beans and garlic:

Accompany with a bottle of bubbly that you've been saving for 2 years:

And enjoy! :-)
I will definitely be making this again. Let's just hope the beginner's luck carries over to the next time as well!

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