Basil Gnocchi Food

BASIL GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Peel potatoes, then steam or boil them til cooked through and tender.
• While potatoes are cooking, blend the basil leaves and olive oil in a food processor.
• Mash the potatoes with a fork, add butter and salt & pepper to taste and mash til butter is melted. Set aside for a few minutes til potatoes are not too hot to handle but still warm.
• Stir in basil/oil mixture; add flour and work into the potato mix til you have a dough.
• Turn onto a floured workbench and knead gently for 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed - dough should be soft, pliable and not sticky.
• Divide dough into quarters and roll each piece to make a long, thin sausage, then cut sausage into short lengths, whatever size you want your gnocchi to be.
• Fill a very large saucepan with water and bring to the boil, add some salt. When the water is boiling, add half the gnocchi. Allow the gnocchi to cook for 1 minutes after they rise to the surface, skim them out and keep warm; repeat with remaining gnocchi.
• Serve with your sauce of choice!

BASIL GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Make the gnocchi: Mix the instant potatoes with 1 cup hot water in a bowl using a fork; set aside until the potatoes absorb the liquid, 3 minutes. Meanwhile, puree the basil and 1/4 cup cold water in a blender until smooth. Stir the basil puree, egg, pecorino and 1 tablespoon salt into the potato mixture.
• Mound 3/4 cup flour on a surface; add the potato mixture and knead together until smooth, gradually adding the remaining 1/4 cup flour. Divide the dough into 3 portions; roll each into a 1-inch-diameter log (dust with flour, if needed). Cut each log into 1/2-inch pieces; place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate while making the sauce (or freeze up to 1 month).
• Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pine nuts; fry until toasted, swirling the pan. Transfer the nuts with a slotted spoon to paper towels and season with salt. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and cook until soft, 3 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and toss; cook until the tomatoes are just soft, 2 more minutes.
• Cook the gnocchi in a large pot of salted boiling water until tender, about 1 minute after they float to the surface. Drain and toss with the sauce. Top with the toasted pine nuts and more basil and pecorino.

CHEF JOHN'S BASIL RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Briefly blanch basil leaves in simmering water, about 20 seconds. Transfer immediately to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. Drain on towels. Place basil in bowl of a blender. Add eggs. Blend until basil is blended in and mixture achieves an even green color with flecks of basil.
• Place ricotta in a mixing bowl. Add basil/egg mixture, salt, cayenne, Parmesan cheese, and flour. Thoroughly mix together using a spatula; whisk mixture to ensure ingredient are evenly blended. Cover and refrigerate until chilled and firm, about 2 hours.
• Scoop out a small portion of dough using a teaspoon. Using a second spoon, shape into a rounded oval. Repeat until you have enough gnocchi for a batch, about 6 or so.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer. Drop shaped gnocchi in batches into pot as you form them. After a minute or so they will rise to the surface. Continue simmering until they spring back to the touch when you remove one from the water to test it, 2 to 3 more minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon to cool. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Optional step: Melt butter in a skillet until bubbling. Add cooked gnocchi and brown on each side. Serve with a dusting of grated Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of the butter from the pan.

RICOTTA BASIL GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Submerge the basil and spinach leaves in the water for ten seconds, remove and shock in ice water immediately. Remove from the ice water and squeeze very, very dry. Rough chop with a knife.
• Place the chopped greens in a food processor along with the egg and a little salt and pepper and chop until a paste forms and no large pieces remain.
• Place the paste in a bowl along with the ricotta and mix well. Check seasoning, then add the flour. Mix gently until all the flour is incorporated but be careful not to over mix.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Roll the dough into strands about ¾-inch thick and about one foot long on a well-floured cutting board. Cut with a sharp, clean knife in pieces about ¾-inch wide.
• Drop the gnocchi a few dozen at a time into the boiling salted water. After about one minute, they should float. Remove the gnocchi from the water and place on a pan and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Continue the process until all of the gnocchi are done. Keep the water hot.
• Warm a large sauté pan and melt the butter and at the same time drop the gnocchi back in the boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove the gnocchi from the water and place in the pan. Toss with the butter, adding a few tablespoons of the cooking water to the pan.
• Remove from the heat, portion into bowls or on plates and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.