There’s nothing quite like plump gnocchi tossed in a beautiful, rustic sauce. 

Words and recipe: Extract from Nadia: A Seasonal Journal  Photos: Matt Quéréé

Homemade gnocchi is soft, silky and delicate. It is made mainly from potato, with some flour to bind it. Use any mix of herbs you like in this dish – my selection is just a guide.

Makes: 3-4 serves
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS 

700-800g large Agria potatoes, scrubbed (leave the skin on)
1 free-range egg
¾ teaspoon salt
150g ‘00’ (double milled) or plain flour
1 tablespoon white miso paste
50g butter, melted
500g mushrooms (I used a mix of brown button and shiitake), sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
handful of chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
2 tablespoons chopped oregano
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary leaves
zest and juice of 1 medium lemon
finely grated parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)

METHOD

Heat oven to 200°C. To make the gnocchi, place whole potatoes on an oven tray and bake for about 1 hour (depending on the size of potatoes) until very tender – test with a skewer or tip of a sharp knife, which should poke all the way through with no resistance.

Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh while still warm. Push the warm potato flesh through a potato ricer or a sieve (with the help of a large metal spoon) into a large bowl. This ensures light gnocchi; whatever you do, do not mash the potato.

Add the egg and salt and mix in with a fork. Add the flour and use your hands to bring it together to a soft dough. Add a little more flour if needed – it should feel dry to the touch but not crumbly. Knead a few times, then divide into six pieces.

Squash each piece into a rough sausage shape. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece into a log about 30cm long, then cut into bite-sized 2cm pieces. Place on a large flat tray (with a lip) dusted with flour, and shake the pieces to coat. Set aside (on the bench, not the fridge) until ready to cook. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. While the water is coming to a boil, make the miso butter. In a small bowl, mix the miso paste with 1 tablespoon of boiling water until smooth. Stir in melted butter.

Heat a good drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. Cook the mushrooms and garlic for 4-5 minutes until the mushrooms have softened. Add the herbs and lemon zest, continue cooking for a further 1 minute or so, then add the lemon juice and miso butter, and turn off the heat.

Carefully drop about half the gnocchi into the boiling water and cook for a couple of minutes until they bob to the surface; as soon as they do, scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer to the pan with the mushrooms. Once all the gnocchi are in the pan, turn the heat back on and gently toss everything together to heat through.

Serve immediately with a little parmesan cheese scattered over, if desired.