Spicy Gnocchi with Burrata
I like gnocchi but I would never chose them over pasta. Some times though I really crave them and last week was one of those days.
Making gnocchi in Italy, is seen as the first step you take before you actually start making homemade pasta. In some ways it is true but, it also true that gnocchi can become very tricky to master if you don’t follow a few basic rules.
Always chose the right potatoes. They have to be floury and not overly moist. Maris Piper in the UK is a good variant.
Always put the potatoes in a pan with cold water (skin on).
Always peel the potatoes when they are still hot or the skin will keep the moisture in and they’ll become sticky.
Once you mash the potatoes let them cool down completely before you mix them with the flour and egg.
It’s worth mentioning that there are two schools of thought when it comes to gnocchi: the ones who use egg in the mix and the ones who don’t.
I used eggs this time but you can try both versions and see which one you prefer.
Giovedí Gnocchi
Ingredients
For the gnocchi
1kg potatoes
300g flour
1 medium egg
For the sauce
500g passata
2 cloves of garlic
1 handful of chili flakes
1 tbsp of dried oregano
Olive oil
Salt
1 big burrata (250g)
Step by Step
For the Gnocchi
Put the potatoes in a deep pot and cover them with cold water. Bring the water to boil and cook them until you can easily pierce them with a fork
Take the skin off, mash the potatoes and let them cool down
Once cooled down, mix the mashed potatoes with the egg (slightly beaten)and with the flour
Knead the dough for a few minutes only and use immediately
Cut a piece of dow and roll it with your hands into a long, 1cm thick, cylinder. With a knife cut your little gnocchi
Use flour on your working surface to prevent the dough from sticking and once you’ve made your gnocchi rest them flat in a tray with semolina
For the sauce
In a pan, add a generous amount of olive oil and heat it up
Sauté the garlic with the chili flakes for a few minutes
Add your passata, oregano and salt. As soon as it start boiling, turn the heat as low as you can and cover with a lid. The slower you’ll cook it, the tastier it will be. I cooked mine for 1h 30m but it can be ready in 30m if you want
Assembling the dish
Bring water to boil, add a generous amount of coarse salt in the boiling water and drop your gnocchi in
When the gnocchi start emerging on the surface of your pot it means they are ready. Take them out one at a time
Mix the drained gnocchi with the sauce and put them in a plate
Separately open your burrata in half and add on top of each plate a piece of the burrata heart
Sprinkle with chili flakes and serve
Tips and cheats
Some times gnocchi can be tricky to shape. If you feel the dough is becoming too sticky it probably means it has more moisture than it should. Don’t be tempted though to add in more flour as you will probably end up having rubbery gnocchi once cooked. Be patient and try to work slowly. You can wet your hands and that will help you shape them.
If you are not convinced of the consistency of your gnocchi you can test the dough. Simply boil some water and drop a gnocco in it. See if it boils well. If it does, you can keep on going and shape the gnocchi.
There is no need to rest the gnocchi dough. You can work with it straight away. Resting it in fact might be counterproductive and make your dough sticky.
If you don’t like the idea of making your own gnocchi, just buy them and make the sauce. This sauce is very easy and tasty and goes perfectly well with regular pasta too.
Enjoy!
