Basic potato gnocchi

Basic potato gnocchi

(Recipe by Stef @ Essential ingredients)

Serves 4

600 gr potatoes
3 egg yolks
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp salt
½ c grated parmesan cheese
1 c GF plain flour, plus extra

Step 1: Cooking the potatoes
Spread a layer of rock salt on a baking tray and arrange the potatoes on top. Bake until a bit overcooked, about 45 minutes. Let sit until cool enough to handle.

Step 2: Making the gnocchi dough
Peel off the potato skins. Grate the potatoes on the large holes of a box grater. Place the mound of potatoes on a clean surface and make a well in the middle. Add the egg yolks, parmesan, nutmeg and salt. Mix in the potatoes and mix well with hands.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the flour over the potatoes and, using your knuckles, press it into the potatoes. Fold the mass over on itself and press down again. Sprinkle on more flour, little by little, folding and pressing the dough until it just holds together. If the mixture is too dry, add another egg yolk or a little water. If it is too wet, add more flour.

The dough should give under slight pressure. It will feel firm but yielding. To test if the dough is the correct consistency, take a piece and roll it with your hands on a well-floured board into a rope 1.5cm in diameter. If the dough holds together, it is ready. If not, add more flour, fold and press the dough several more times, and test again.

Step 3: Cutting and shaping the gnocchi
Keeping your work surface and the dough lightly floured, cut the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 1.5 cm in diameter. Cut into 1.5 cm long pieces. Lightly flour the gnocchi as you cut them.

As you shape the gnocchi, dust them lightly with flour and scatter them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or waxed paper.

Step 4: Cooking the gnocchi
When ready to cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Drop in the gnocchi and cook for about 120 seconds from the time they rise to the surface. Remove the cooked gnocchi with a skimmer, shake off the excess water, and serve as desired.
Note: To freeze shaped gnocchi, line baking sheets with waxed paper and dust with flour. Spread the gnocchi on the prepared sheets and freeze until hard. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month. To cook, drop the frozen gnocchi into boiling salted water. Cook for about 2 minutes after they rise to the surface.

Pumpkin, feta and sage risotto

Risotto on a cold Canberra evening always goes down a treat. This is one of the few risottos I make that doesn't change. I've made it so many times that it's pretty much part of my DNA. My boyfriend and I love this risotto. I hope you enjoy it too. If you don't want it to be a purely vegetarian affair, add 100 gr of prosciutto as well.

Pumpkin and feta risotto (Recipe by Stef @ Essential ingredients)

Serves 4 - 6

1 litre chicken stock

1 tbsp olive oil

30 gr butter

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 onion, finely diced

1 ½ c aborio rice

½ c dry white wine

1/3 cup grated parmesan

500 gr kent pumpkin, cubed

100 gr spinach

125 gr Danish feta, cubed

¼ c pinenuts, toasted

12 sage leaves

salt to taste

Step 1: Prepare the stock

Place the stock and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer.

Step 2: Prepare the risotto base

Place the oil in a large heavy based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and onions to the pan. Cook the onion until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the rice to the pot and stir to coat with the oil. Cook the, stirring, for a few minutes until the rice is opaque.

Step 3: Cooking the rice

Pour the wine in the sides of the pan, stirring until absorbed. Add 8 finely chopped sage leaves and stir to combine.

Add the stock to the rice, ½ cup at a time, stirring until absorbed. Continue to add the stock to the rice in ½ cup batches until the liquid is absorbed. Total cooking time should be about 35 minutes, or until the rice is just tender.

Step 4: Prepare the pinenuts and pumpkin (Note: be sure to keep an eye on your risotto stirring as needed if you’re going to do this step while the rice is cooking)

Preheat an oven to 180 C (160 C fan forced). Place the pinenuts on a tray and cook for 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, take the skin off the pumpkin and cut into cubes. Place the pumpkin in a pot of boiling salted water and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain the pumpkin and refresh in a bowl of iced water. Mash 300 gr of the pumpkin and set aside.

In a separate saucepan heat 30 gr of butter with a little oil and 4 of the sage leaves. Place the remaining 200 gr of the cubed pumpkin in the saucepan and cook for a few minutes, until browned, on one side the turn and repeat. When the pumpkin is nicely browned, place it on a piece of absorbent kitchen paper and set aside.

Step 5: Finishing the risotto

Add the parmesan to the risotto and stir through. Then add the spinach and cook for a few minutes until wilted. Stir through the pumpkin puree, toasted pinenuts and cubed feta. Take the risotto off the heat and add the browned pumpkin. Gently stir to distribute the pumpkin through the risotto. Taste and season with salt and pepper as necessary.