Soft little gnocchi parcels are delicious with all sorts of toppings. And it’s as effortless as adding some chopped fresh herbs, oil, and Parmesan. In this version, we opted for the fresh garden kale pesto, whose main ingredient is growing in the garden in abundance.
Tip: Traditionally, gnocchi is made with white flour, as it has higher gluten content and holds the mixture together quite easily. When using whole wheat flour, look for very finely ground whole wheat flour, or dough will not hold together.
Whole Wheat Potato Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 2 lbs (1 kg) medium-sized red potatoes
- 2 cups (500 mL) whole wheat flour (see Tip), plus extra for rolling and dusting
- 1 large organic egg, whisked
- 3 Tbsp (45 mL) finely chopped fresh chives
- 1 tsp (5 mL) finely grated lemon zest
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt, plus extra
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) Kale and Walnut Pesto
- 1 cup (250 mL) halved cherry tomatoes
- Fresh basil, chopped, for garnish
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories377
- protein13g
- fat12g
- saturated fat2g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates57g
- sugars3g
- fibre8g
- sodium274mg
Directions
01
Place potatoes in large saucepan and cover by at least 2 in (5 cm) cold water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Simmer potatoes, with lid ajar, until tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 to 35 minutes.
Drain and set aside to cool just until you can handle them. Peel and cut into chunks. Press peeled potatoes through potato ricer into large bowl. Alternatively, mash potatoes thoroughly by hand, making sure there are absolutely no lumps. Cool until almost at room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Stir in flour, egg, chives, lemon zest, and salt, and mix thoroughly with your hands until dough is soft and smooth but still a little sticky.
Tip dough onto lightly floured surface and divide into 4 equal sections. Roll each section into 3/4 in (2 cm) thick ropes. Cut ropes into 1 in (2.5 cm) pieces. Press each piece with the backside of the tines of a fork, if you wish, to create ribbed gnocchi.
Lightly flour baking tray. Transfer gnocchi to baking tray, making sure gnocchi is in single layer, and lightly dust with extra flour to prevent them from sticking. Refrigerate until ready to cook, up to 3 hours. Alternatively, freeze on baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to tightly sealed container and freeze for up to 2 months.
To cook, bring large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook fresh gnocchi in batches for about 5 minutes, or until they float.
Cook frozen gnocchi in much smaller batches, as they can cause water to drop in temperature, causing them to fall apart during cooking. Remove gnocchi with slotted spoon to large bowl and drizzle with a little olive oil to keep them from sticking.
To serve, toss warm gnocchi with 1/2 cup (125 mL) Kale and Walnut Pesto and halved cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle with freshly chopped basil. Drizzle with a little olive oil and add freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Irene McGuinness is a writer, recipe developer, food stylist for numerous magazines and corporations, and alumna of the Writer’s Studio at Simon Fraser University
