Gnocchi with sage and garlic butter

Gnocchi with sage and garlic butter

Gnocchi in the garlic and sage butter
Servings:	Serves 4 as a starter
Ready in:	45 minutes
Prep. time:	20 minutes
Cook time:	35 minutes
Difficulty:

Preparing gnocchi

Gordon Ramsey mentioned a gnocchi recipe in a recent (repeated) "Kitchen Nightmare" and although it was not this recipe, it served as a nudge to dig this recipe out and give it a try.

This dish is very simple and economical and serves as a good starter or main course. We had this as a main with spicy beefburgers and fresh tomatoes.

Ingredients

For the gnocchi

Ingredients

Printable 🖨 shopping 🛒 list & 👩‍🍳 method for this recipe

• 275 g (10 oz) potatoes, ideally Desiree or King Edward
• 1 egg, beaten
• 95 g (3½ oz) plain flour, sifted
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the garlic & sage butter

• 10 fresh sage leaves
• 2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 50 g (2 oz) butter

To garnish

• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method

Making the gnocchi

1. In a large pan, cover the unpeeled potatoes with boiling water salted water
2. (Boiling in their skins prevents too much water being absorbed into the potatoes so try not to damage the skins)
3. Bring back to the boil, cover and simmer for 25 minutes
4. Drain, pat dry on a tea-towel and allow to cool so they can be handled safely
5. Run the skins off and pass through a potato ricer or use a hand whisk to break up into a very fine mash. It's worth taking care over this you will have lumpy gnocchi
6. Add the sifted flour and half of the beaten egg
7. Knead with your hands to a soft dough, correcting with extra egg or flour if too wet or dry
8. Transfer to a floured cutting board, dry and dust your hands with extra flour
9. Divide into four and roll each piece into a sausage about 1 cm (1/2") diameter then cut into 2.5 cm (1") sections
10. Using the times of a fork, press flat into each piece to make the sauce-holding pattern, the rougher the better, we want rustic!
11. Cover and chill until required
12. (Gnocchi does not keep well without discolouring so only make what you are going to use on the day)

Cooking the gnocchi

1. Warm a serving dish in the oven
2. In a large pan, bring 4 litres (7 pints) of water to a simmer
3. Add the gnocchi and cook for 3 minutes, they will float after 2 but still need another minute
4. Drain, transfer to the warm serving dish and mix in the Parmesan cheese

Making the sage and garlic butter

1. In a small frying pan, heat the butter so it starts to froth
2. Stir in the garlic and mix until it starts to colour. Don't let it burn
3. Add the sage leaves and let the sage leaves crisp up
4. Drizzle the sage and garlic butter butter over the gnocchi
5. Serve immediately

See also

Gnocchi & gnocchi related recipes:

• Gonocchi information page
• Basic gnocchi recipe
• Gnocchi with sage and garlic butter
• Roasted butternut squash and Capricorn goats' cheese gnocchi