These gorgeous cloudy dumplings are best eaten freshly prepared and I have never had
pre-made gnocchi that tasted nearly as good. Making fresh gnocchi is simple but it needs a bit of time and attention. When your get waxed it really is quite quick to prepare. There are many variations on the theme, with good olive oil and parmasan cheese or with fried butter and sage. Often enjoyed with a creamy sauces and blue vain cheeses.
Here we experimented with some balanced flavors: Cumin infused blush pears, grilled in olive oil and flamed with brandy. Pan deglazed with cream, rich mature cheese added and allowed to reduced. Finished with parmasan shavings, roasted pine kernels and fresh pomogranet seeds
Ver or Extra Belegen cheese is a dutch gouda or Graskaas, made from the first milkings after the cows return to the grassy polders from a winter spent inside. Ver Belegen is matured for 7 to 8 months, is ideal for cooking and has an immediate vivacious flavor. A blue vain cheese such as Gorgonzola may also be used in moderation. (Bleu de Graven is a blue vain dutch Gouda that is rich and creamy and not as salty)
Tip: looking for a local producer of Ver Belegen cheese? Contact Johan at Van Der Poel Kaas
Rich? yes - instead of the fillet go for the goods.
Flashy? perhaps not for the high table.
Delicious? Absolutely and good looking as well.
Ingredients:
1 kg brown starchy potatoes
300g Double Zero wheat flour
1 large egg (try for free-range/organic)
salt to taste
a pinch of nutmeg.
Boil the potatoes skin on in a large pot or pan with a fair amount of salt. Heat them up gently to prevent them from bursting open and becoming water logged. Cook till tender (poke a table knife right through and retract, if it slips of the blade they are done). Strain and set about pealing the potatoes. They need to still be warm when you mix the dough so work with a tea towel to shield your hand against the heat.
Mash the potatoes as well as u can. Add half the flour and the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and add more flour until you have a workable dough. Get your largest pot, mine is the pressure cooker, filled high with water and well salted to boiling
Tip: use two eggs if your eggs are a bit small.
Break fist size chunks off the dough and use your hands to role it into a long sausage shape, about 2cm in diameter. Use flour as needed and don't be shy, it becomes a sticky mess if u are. With a flat blade knife cut 2cm lengths off your sausage. Toss them in more flour and separate them on a floured surface. Using a fork press grooves onto the gnocchi to allow the sauce to be picked up by each dumpling. Ask the kids to help its great fun ;) It really doesn't matter what they look like as long as they are all basically the same size - if you want to call it rustic so be it.
The water should be boiling rapidly. Add the uncooked gnocchi little by little, some cooks bounce them of the board, so they cook separately. Gently stir the pot at intervals. As soon as the dumplings float to the top they are cooked, use a strainer spoon or basket to collect them and douse with olive oil while resting.
Tip: Your gnocchi may be frozen in a single layer container for up to 3 weeks and still taste wonderful after defrosted and revived in some boiling water.
Ingredients: per serving
1 blush pear
a dusting of ground cumin
some cumin seeds
a dash of brandy
olive oil
100 ml fresh cream
100 ml vegetable stock
125 ml Ver Belegen cheese grated
salt to taste.
The rest happens a la minute so one could prepare the gnocchi in advance. Try and find sweet tasty pears. Cut your pear down each side of the stem to leave a thin slice of the whole pear shape. Cut the rest of the pear into wedges, remove the seeds if u like but I couldn't bother and coat all with olive oil. Dust some ground cumin over each side. If your pears happen not to be sweet add a little castor sugar (its the sweetness of the pear and the tangy bite of the cheese that make this dish)
Heat up a large skillet and add some cumin seeds. Wait till the cumin releases they fragrance and add olive oil. Grill the pear on high till well caramelized. Add a shot of brandy and allow to flame. Setting the pears aside we deglaze the skillet with some vegetable stock and cream, add the Ver Belegen cheese (go on add more if u want) and allow to reduce. Keep an eye out, if it reduces to much add some more cream.
Tip: If you feel your sauce needs seasoning add a little black pepper and parmasan cheese instead of salt.
Plate some of your fresh home made gnocchi in a pasta bowl and add just enough sauce to coat the dumplings. Arrange the pear wedges around the edge and make the center slice stand akimbo in the middle. Finish with shavings of parmasan cheese and garnish with the roasted pine kernels, pomegranate seeds and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with cracked black pepper and Maldon salt. Enjoy!
Tip: pre-heat your pasta plates in the oven for a hot meal at serving.
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