This easy and wonderfully delicious home-made gnocci is fantastic to make with the whole family. It's a great opportunity for an activity together, imagine you are playing with play dough, but instead is it made of flour and potatoes.
Ingredients for the gnocci:
(2 services)
2 large potatoes
All purpose flour (or all purpose gluten-free flour)
1 large egg
Salt
Black pepper to taste
Mixed herbs / Oregano to taste
Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add the peeled potatoes and boil until ready but firm (don't overcook them). Drain off the remaining water and mash with a masher or fork. Add the herbs (your choice of mixed herbs or oregano, or both).
Set aside to cool a little. When the potatoes cool down, add the egg and combine well. Add the flour until you get firm consistency that you can handle with your hands. The gnocci balls should not be too gummy nor mushy, but firm yet soft.
Knead the dough on a flour dusted surface, form long sausage like lines and cut small balls of it, pressing them gently with a fork to form the gnocci. Bring a pot of salted water to boil and drop the ready gnocci in the water. Boil for few minutes until the gnocci floats up on the surface of the pot - that is a sign that the gnocci is ready. Remove from the pot and put aside.
Spinach and basil pesto:
1 cup chopped young spinach
handfull of fresh basil leaves
1 - 2 cloves of garlic to taste
1 cup almonds (walnuts or pine nuts can replace the almonds to your taste)
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese
Olive oil to taste
Lemon juice to taste
Place the chopped greens in a food processor. Add the nuts and give them a quick blitz. Add the garlic, olive oil to a smooth consistency, parmesan cheese, lemon juice
Mix everything to a medium or smooth paste, to your taste Dress your gnocci with the freshly made pesto, add some olives for decoration or slowly roasted cherry tomatoes, if you wish.