What's better than one gnocchi? Two gnocchi, ha :-) This is a mix of spinach and sweet potato gnocchi.
This recipe isn't complex in terms of technique but it does take a bit of time to bring this together, so it's one to make ahead when you have time. You can get fancy and use a little gnocchi board, they are super cheap to buy but I've made little pillows in the past with a knife and they are perfectly fine.
I also gave the recipe a bit of a kick with a drizzle of chilli oil to finish it but this is totally optional.
I've struggled to get nice chorizo here in Australia but stumbled across a very good brand called Skara. I must admit, I can't remember which I bought it but it is very tasty indeed. Look out for it if you are in this neck of the woods.
Serves 4
Spinach gnocchi ingredients
1 bag of spinach leaves (120g)
5 tbsp. plain flour (I've also used oat flour successfully in these if you have any gluten issues)
4 tbsp. ricotta cheese
1/2 beaten egg
4 tbsp. parmesan
Salt & pepper to season
Sweet potato gnocchi
200g sweet potato, cubed
1 tbsp. butter
5 tbsp. plain flour (I've also used oat flour successfully in these if you have any gluten issues)
4 tbsp. ricotta cheese
1/2 beaten egg
4 tbsp. parmesan
Salt & pepper to season
Flour to dust
Tomato Sauce
1 tbsp. olive oil
400g passata (I like a herbed version for extra flavour)
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Sprig of basil or oregano
Chorizo Crumble
1 chorizo sausage, skin removed and meat finely diced
1 tbsp. olive oil
Chill Oil
2 tsp. chilli flakes
Method
Blanch the spinach for 4 minutes. Add to an iced bath. It's not mandatory but it does help to stop the cooking process and keep the colour of the spinach. Drain the spinach and wring out the water/liquid. I put some kitchen paper over a sieve and press on it to squeeze it all out. Once it has cooled, chopped finely.
In a bowl, mix together the spinach, the egg, the ricotta, the parmesan, flour, salt & pepper. If it's too wet, just add more flour, you need to be able to roll it.
Sprinkle some flour on your benchtop. Take about a 1/3 of the mixture and put it onto the benchtop. Roll into a sausage and then cut into roughly 3 centimetres in length. Set aside on a plate and do the same with the remainder of the gnocchi mixture. You can roll them on your board of keep it simple and leave them as is. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour to rest.
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add in the sweet potato.
Cook the sweet potato until fork tender. You will need to be able to mash them. It's approximately 10-15 minutes. Once cooked, drain and mash with a bit of butter. Allow to cool.
In a bowl, mix together the sweet potato, the egg, the ricotta, the parmesan, flour, salt & pepper. If it's too wet, just add more flour, you need to be able to roll it.
Clean down your bench from the previous gnocchi making. Sprinkle some flour on your benchtop. Take about a 1/3 of the mixture and put it onto the benchtop. Roll into a sausage and then cut into roughly 3 centimetres in length. Set aside on a plate and do the same with the remainder of the gnocchi mixture. You can roll them on your board of keep it simple and leave them as is. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour to rest.
While the gnocchi are chilling, you can get on with your sauce.
Heat a frying pan and add the oil. Sauté the onions. Add in the garlic and fry for a minute of so. If using oregano, you can add it now and fry for a couple of minutes. If using basil, you need to leave it until the end.
Add the passata and salt and pepper and reduce to a simmer. After about 15 minutes, tear off the basil, add and stir through the sauce. Keep warm on a low heat.
In a separate pan, heat the pan and add the oil. Add the chorizo and cook until nicely browned. Remove the cooked chorizo from the pan, keeping the oil. Add in the chilli flakes and cook for 2 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse. Pour into a little jug for serving.
Get a big pot of salted water boiling. For efficiency, you could have two on the go. I cook the gnocchi separately as I don't want the colours to merge. Add the gnocchi to the saucepan. You might need to do them in batches if there are too many. When they are cooked, they rise to the top. I cook them for another 2 minutes from here, just to make sure that they are not doughy. Prepare a plate with some kitchen paper on it. Spoon out the gnocchi with a slotted spoon. Repeat the process until all the gnocchi are cooked.
Spoon the cooked gnocchi into the sauce and stir through gently covering them in sauce.
To serve, spoon a decent size portion of the gnocchi onto a plate and sprinkle with some of the chorizo crumb, some parmesan and then finally drizzle with some of the chilli oil.
This would pair well with a Rioja or a Malbec. Enjoy the fruits of your labour.
Needs a bit of timec but worth it. You can pan fry the gnocchi once they have cooked for that extra bit of naughtiness
Hmmm this one sounds tasty!