Date: Sat, 5 Apr 1997 23:36:22 -0800
From: yogi@mdi.ca (Michael & Laura)
Gnochi (Make ahead...)
2 pounds of waxy, yellow potatoes (about 6)
1 1/2-2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup cooked, drained and chopped spinich. (Optional)
Microwave potatoes c. 10 minutes (until done), then allow them to
cool.
Peel and then mash them in a large bowl. Mix in spinich if liked.
Add 1/4 cup of flour to the potatoes at a time, mashing briefly, until
about 1 cup of flour has been incorporated into the dough. More flour
is needed if you use spinich. The texture of the mix should change to
that of very soft but not wet cookie dough.
Put the dough on a floured surface. Flour your hands and begin
kneading in the remaining flour, until a firm but slightly sticky
dough is attained. Don't keep mixing till it becomes elastic like
bread dough or they will be tough and heavy. Divide the dough into
four balls and roll each into a long rope about the width of your
thumb. Cut the into 1 inch bits, and roll into balls.
Press the gnocchi with the tines of a fork to make the classic shell
shape. When all the gnocchi have been made, allow them to dry for
about 30 minutes, while you bring their cooking water to a boil.
They can be pre-made to this point and covered with plastic wrap
overnight. When it's time to cook them, unwrap them and let dry a
little.
Plunge 15 or so at a time into ample boiling and salted water (about 4
quarts). At first they will sink to the bottom. When they rise to the
top again, they are done. Quickly remove them with a slotted spoon,
drain well and transfer them to serving dish containing pesto.
Pesto:
1 large bunch basil
1 large bunch parsley
Juice of 1 lemon
1 clove of garlic
1 pinch of salt (optional)
Freshly cracked pepper to taste.
1/2 cup of cooked chickpeas
Chop finely in a food processer, adding a little water if the mixture
is too dry. This is also really good spread on bread, as a salad
dressing (thin a bit with lemon), or as a dip with vegetables. (It
will ward off any cold...)
kwvegan vegan