Monday 7 April 2014

Basil Gnocchi with Pistachio Butter












It's almost the end of basil season and that means it's time to make Basil Gnocchi. Because as much as we love pesto, if I make any more of it I think my family might divorce me.


Basil Gnocchi with Pistachio Butter
adapted from Nicole Stich's  Delicious Days
Serves 4

For the Pistachio Butter:
90g unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon sea salt flakes
1/4 cup unsalted pistachios, roasted

For the Basil Gnocchi:
1kg floury potatoes (I use Desiree)
30g basil leaves
1 egg yolk
1 egg 
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground nutmeg
75- 125g "00" flour, depending on how wet or dry your potatoes are

Make the Pistachio Butter:
Put the roasted pistachios in a food processor and blitz until they are a fine meal. Put the butter, salt and pistachios into a bowl and mix them together well. Set aside.

Make the Gnocchi:
Preheat the oven to 200 C. 

Wash the potatoes, dry them well and prick them with a sharp knife a few times. Put the on a rack in the oven and roast for an hour.

Put the basil leaves, whole egg and egg yolk into a blender and blitz until it is a fine paste. Set aside.

Peel the potatoes and pass them through a potato ricer into a large bowl. Sprinkle them with salt, nutmeg and 75g of the flour (you may need more to form a dough). Bring the mixture together with your hands to form a soft dough. If it is too sticky and hard to handle, add some more flour a little at a time. Don't be tempted to add too much flour, as too much flour with toughen the gnocchi. Add just enough to form a manageable dough.

Dust a work surface and your hands with flour and divide the dough into eight small portions. Roll each portion out into a long sausage shape about 1cm in diameter. Cut 2cm pieces from the roll. Using a gnocchi paddle or the tines of a fork, roll the gnocchi along it, using your thumb for pressure. You should end up with a dumpling that has ridges on one side and an indentation on the other. Don't worry if they're not perfect, they're not meant to be. Place the gnocchi on a floured tray.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. 

Put the Pistachio Butter into a large wide pan and gently heat it over a low flame until it melts.

Carefully lower the gnocchi into the boiling water. Cook them in batches, removing them when they float to the surface and immediately placing them into the melted Pistachio Butter. Continue cooking the gnocchi until they are all in the tub together, being coated with Pistachio Butter. Doesn't that sound delicious?


26 comments:

  1. Wow, how absolutely delicious! I've seen gnocchi being made many times when I had the cooking school, but have never tried it myself. Clearly this must change! Pinned.

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    1. It's not hard to do Liz. Like fresh pasta, it takes a bit of time but is so rewarding.

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  2. I want that pistachio butter on everything from here on out!

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  3. Wow! Looovvvvvveeee the gnocchi! It's sound delicious for sure!!! I cannot wait for basil season, another months or two, ouff!

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    1. When your basil season comes, it'll worth the wait.

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  4. Yum!!! This looks super delicious. I have never made my own gnocchi, but it's been on my list for awhile. After reading this post I'm thinking it absolutely must be paired with pistachio butter! Beautiful pictures too!

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    1. Thanks Brooke. Homemade is gnocchi it so much better than anything you can buy.

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  5. I saw this pop up on Facebook while I was eating my dinner last night! Gnocchi has been on my 'to make' list for ages, and this one is easily adaptable for a gluten free belly :) Will have to get potatoes this weekend and get cracking! Also, pistachio butter - be still my beating heart :)

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    1. That pistachio butter is going to be making a few appearances in my kitchen.

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  6. YUM WHATT!!!! I love gnocchi, and basil, and pistachio. I need to try this! Thanks :)

    www.dancingthroughsunday.typepad.com
    x

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  7. Wow, I hope I grow a nice basil crop this coming summer (last year's drought wreaked havoc on our garden!). You basil gnocchi looks wonderful!

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    1. We've had really dry weather through the summer too. I've had to baby the basil through, but it's been worth it.

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  8. Looks delicious, great photos too. I had a gnocchi dish at restaurant a couple of days ago which reminded me how much I love it. Definitely have to give this one a try at home.

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  9. These are gorgeous, you've done such a great job with these. Beautiful pics!

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    1. Thanks Cheri. I don't think I've ever met anyone who didn't little potato dumplings.

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  10. Gosh, these look mighty gorgeous!! Beautiful photos too :-)

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  11. Somehow my comment disappeared right after I wrote it... sad face. Anyway, I just wanted to say that I (as a basil obsessive) think that this dish is absolutely incredible... herbed gnocchi with browned pistachio butter? Drooling right now. I will make this as soon as is humanly possible. Which is tomorrow, at this point, as right now the shops are shut and I have no basil. Darn it. This could've totally been second dinner! x

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    1. Don't know what happened to your first comment. The mysteries (black hole) of the net. I love second dinner.

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  12. Pistachio butter? Oh my, I have to try that. And I love gnocchi too, what a great combination!

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    1. Thanks Aimee. It was so good we rock-paper-scissored for the last piece.

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  13. Pistachio butter in gnocchis? Genius! I wil keep this brilliant idea in mind for the next time I prepare gnocchis!

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