Quick & Easy
Easy gnocchi with creamy pesto
When you realise how quick and easy it is to make your own gnocchi and pesto, you’ll wonder why you ever bought it ready-made. The gnocchi is potato-free, which makes it super speedy to prepare. Serve with crispy-fried sage leaves to make this dish extra-special.
Ingredients:
- 120g/4½oz plain flour
- 70g/2½oz parmesan or vegetarian-style hard cheese, grated, plus extra to serve
- 450g/1lb mascarpone
- 1 large egg, beaten
- sea salt
- 100ml/3½fl oz full-fat milk
- 100ml/3½fl oz double cream
- 100g/3½oz macadamia nuts, or blanched/flaked almonds
- 1 small garlic clove
- 4–5 large sage leaves, plus extra to serve (optional)
- freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
- To make the gnocchi, toss the flour, Parmesan and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Add the mascarpone and egg and mix well with a wooden spoon to form a smooth dough. Spoon into a large piping bag, fitted with a large plain nozzle.
- To make the pesto, put all the ingredients in a blender and blitz until well combined. Season with salt and ground black pepper and set aside.
- Half-fill a large saucepan with water, add ½ teaspoon of salt and bring to the boil. Hold the piping bag above the water and pipe the gnocchi a little at a time into the hot water, using scissors or a small sharp knife to snip into short lengths, each around 3cm/1¼in long.
- Boil the gnocchi for 2 minutes, or until all the pieces rise to the surface. Drain in a colander and return to the saucepan. Add the pesto and toss together.
- Divide between two warmed pasta bowls and season with ground black pepper and extra Parmesan. Serve with fried sage leaves, if you like (see tip, below).