HERBY WILD MUSHROOM Homemade Gnocchi

Homemade gnocchi might seem a little daunting at first, however, once you’ve tasted these soft pillowy delights and seen how easy they are to make you’ll never look back.

This pasta alternative is incredibly versatile and can be made in advance, which is perfect for impressing guests. The type of potato you use plays a crucial role in the texture and flavour of your gnocchi. For the best results, opt for floury varieties like Desiree, King Edward, Maris Piper, Russet, or Vivaldi, which yield a light and fluffy consistency. Once you’ve mastered the basics, experimenting with different flavours – like spinach, pumpkin, or even truffle – makes it even more fun.

INGREDIENTS

Gnocchi

600g floury potatoes
2 large eggs, beaten
200g plain flour, but keep extra to hand, you may need a little more or less, depending on the texture of the potatoes
Sea salt

Toppings

2 packs of wild mushrooms
1 lemon
50g parmesan
6 sage leaves
100g salted butter (you may not need it all, but it’s good to be prepared!)

METHOD

Cook the potatoes by lowering them into a pan of salted boiling water with their skins on. Simmer for 15-25 minutes until just soft (the time will depend on the size of your potatoes).
Test with a sharp knife – you should have to push the knife in, it should not slide in too easily, otherwise the potatoes will be overcooked and mushy and will have absorbed too much water. Peel them as quickly as you can. The cooler they get, the less fluffy they will become. The potatoes will be super hot, hold them in a tea towel to peel off the skins to avoid burning your hands.
Using a potato ricer (or mouli if you have one), cut the potatoes into manageable pieces and pass them through the ricer and into a large bowl. If your ricer has larger holes, you may need to pass the potato through twice to get the right texture.
Make a well in your pile of potatoes, then pour in the egg and sprinkle over some of the flour. Start to blend everything with your hands, adding more flour but as little as you can get away with, you want the flavour of the potato to remain. Combine the dough as carefully and quickly as you can, the more you handle the dough, the harder it will become. Try to use the same lightness you would for pastry.
You should now have a soft dough that holds together, doesn’t feel sticky and can be easily shaped.
Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Begin by rolling a piece at a time into long, thumb-nail thick cylinders on a lightly floured surface, again working lightly and quickly. As you roll, you will also be gently stretching the dough. Keep the surface well-floured as you want to avoid the gnocchi sticking to the surface.
Cut the dough into thumbnail long lengths. Cut the first to the length you’re happy with, then use that as your control sample. You can cook them as they are, or if you have a little more time, you can shape them with hollows on one side, allowing sauce to cling better. We left ours chunky, but here’s some tips if you’d like to shape yours:
Roll the gnocchi in a little flour. Holding them very lightly, form each into a small concave, hold them against the prongs of the back of a fork, pressing just firmly enough to get the imprint (not so firmly that they go through the prongs), then guide each one so it tumbles away from the fork. Use your thumb as a guide and your fingers to pick and curl the gnocchi up. Spread them on a large board until required.
Fill a pan with salted water, a good amount of salt is needed as it will help to give the gnocchi flavour.
Whilst the water warms up, place 50g of butter into a low frying pan with three large gloves of whole garlic lightly crushed down with a knife. Warm the pan until the butter simmers slightly, and add the wild mushrooms and a tsp of fresh thyme. Keep stirring until the mushrooms are nicely browned, add salt and pepper to taste, then either remove from the pan and set aside in a pre-warmed bowl for a few minutes. Keep the pan on a very low heat
Turning our attention back to the gnocchi, add the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook for after 30 seconds -1 minute, depending on their size. You want them to be just cooked.
If the mushroom pan is looking a little dry, add another large knob of butter and 5-6 sage leaves and gently removed the gnocchi from the water with a slotted spoon – they will be delicate so be a little gentle with them – place into the warm buttered pan, once all in, keep the gnocchi moving so it doesn’t stick and turn to ensure both sides are slightly browned. Add the mushrooms back in and a good sprinkle of lemon zest and more salt to taste.
Serve with a good squeeze of fresh lemon and a very generous amount of freshly grated parmesan. Serve as it is or as a side to roasted chicken or on its own with fresh garlic sourdough bread.