Recipe Bar Centrale, Images Brydie Thompson
Light and fluffy, gnocchi is a delicious, inexpensive crowd pleaser for any Italian lunch you have planned. With ripe tomatoes bursting with flavour, in season my pick would be to cook some fresh tomatoes up with garlic, basil and olive oil and simply season with some fresh chili, salt and pepper.
1kg Agria potatoes
1 egg yolk
pinch of salt
280g 00 flour (available at Vetro)
50g semolina flour (available at Vetro)
Boil the potatoes with the skin on for about 25 minutes or until tender. Drain and dry thoroughly.
Once cool enough to handle, peel the skin off with a knife.
Rice the potatoes directly over a large, wide bowl using a potato ricer or masher until they are smooth and clump-free.
Form a well in the centre of the potatoes. Add the egg yolk, salt and sprinkle some of the flour on top. Gently mix a few times with a fork, gradually adding the rest of the flour as you go. Once the dough starts to stick together (but is not yet a ball) stop.
Gently bring the dough together with your hands to form a cohesive ball. You do not need to work the dough. The texture should feel warm, light, fluffy and smooth, like a big mashed potato ball.
Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Tip – Don’t add too much flour or you’ll get chewy gnocchi.
Cut the dough ball into 4 pieces. Roll one piece into a 25–30cm log.
Cut into 20–22 gnocchi, about 1.25 cm long to create little pillows.
Transfer to a sheet pan dusted in semolina flour to prevent sticking. Repeat with the 3 other pieces.
When ready to cook the gnocchi, do so by bringing a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the gnocchi and when these rise to the top they are cooked. Drain and combine with the sauce. At this stage you can also fold some fresh mozzarella cheese though it.
Keep it simple and delicious. Garnish with basil leaves, olive oil and some parmesan.
Bar Centrale
Located in the old Tauranga Post Office
51 Willow Street, Tauranga
https://www.clarencetauranga.co.nz/centrale/
