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Homemade Gnocchi for Mother’s Day

Homemade Gnocchi, Zero Waste Kale Stem Pesto, Crushed Pumpkin Seeds and Pea Shoots

This Mother’s Day, you might of found your plans have changed and you’re at home! This homemade gnocchi recipe is sure to be a favourite with everyone.

Whether you’re celebrating with your Mum, or a Mum your self, why not spend time cooking together, with your favourite glass of wine?

If you can’t be together physically, you could try an online cook-along. GoogleHangout’s is one of many easy-to use platforms.

Gnocchi from scratch is probably one of those things you haven’t got round to before, but this Kale Gnocchi Recipe is the perfect cathartic hing to get stuck into. It’s also a fun one to get your kids involved in!

The main ingredient, potatoes, is local to the UK, and should be easy to get hold of. You can also make extra and freeze the gnocchi and the pesto. The Kale Stem Pesto uses up the whole plant, so you won’t waste a thing!

For the Gnocchi

1kg Desiree potatoes

Rock salt, for baking potatoes

150g plain flour

½ tsp fine sea salt

2 small eggs

1 small punnet of pea shoots

Maldon salt to taste

For the Pesto

1 small bunch of green kale, leaves removed and stalks set aside

1 bunch flat leaf parsley

1 bunch basil

50g parmesan or pecorino, half finely grated and half into shavings for garnish

2 garlic cloves

1 lemon, zest and juice

50-100ml good quality olive oil

50g toasted sunflower seeds

25g toasted pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped

How To Make

Gnocchi Recipe

  • Preheat the oven to 170C fan, Cover the base of a roasting tin with a few handfuls of rock salt. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork and lay straight onto the salt in the tray.
  • Bake until completely soft through, this may take about an hour.
  • While the potatoes are baking, make the pesto. (recipe below)
  • Once the potatoes are cooked, allow to cool slightly before peeling away the skin, and setting the cooked potato in a bowl to the side.
  • Use a potato ricer or fine sieve to create a very smooth mash, this is best done while the potatoes are still hot.
  • Clean down and dry a kitchen surface before sprinkling 250g of the flour and the fine sea salt directly onto the surface. Tip the mashed potatoes onto the flour, create a dip in the centre for the eggs and begin to mix together using your hands.
  • Add more flour if you need but stop as soon as the dough is smooth and soft.
  • Divide the mix equally into four with a knife. Roll out each piece of dough into a long sausage and cut into small pieces, the shape doesn’t matter, as long as they are all a similar size so that they cook evenly.
  • Bring a large pan and a small pan up to the boil, season both pans of water heavily with sea salt.
  • Blanch the Kale leaves in the small pan and drop the gnocchi into the other, lift out carefully when the gnocchi rises to the surface of the water.
  • If pan frying, cool the gnocchi down in iced water, heat up a non-stick pan and fry in a little oil or butter until golden. If not pan frying, tip the gnocchi straight into a bowl from the hot water, toss in the pesto and kale leaves and check the seasoning.

Pesto Recipe

  • Finely chop the kale stems and add to a blender with all other ingredients except the oil. Blend until pesto consistency, with texture, pouring the oil in slowly as you blend.
  • Set aside in the fridge until you need to use it.

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