Potato Gnocchi With Lamb Gnocchi Di Patate Con Ragù Di Agnello Food

GNOCCHI DI PATATE

Steps:

• Scrub potatoes and cook in a large saucepan of boiling water until tender (35-40 minutes). Drain in a colander and set aside to cool slightly and steam until cool enough to handle (5-10 minutes).
• Peel potatoes (discard skin).
• Press flesh through a potato ricer onto a work surface lightly dusted with flour.
• Add three-quarters of flour, a pinch of nutmeg and a large pinch of fine sea salt.
• Lightly knead until dough just comes together and is smooth (add a little more flour if necessary). Take care not to overwork the dough.
• Form a 3cm piece of dough into a gnoccho and cook in simmering salted water until gnoccho floats (1-2 minutes). Taste and ensure the mixture isn't too floury (cook 30 seconds longer if so). If gnoccho disintegrates, add more flour to mixture, but do not overwork.
• Divide dough into four and roll one piece at a time on a lightly floured surface to a 1½cm-thick cylinder. Cut into 2cm pieces.
• If making ridged gnocchi, shape with a fork. Place on a lightly floured tray and repeat with remaining dough. Cook gnocchi in batches in simmering water until they float (1-2 minutes). Drain, transfer to a warm serving dish, season to taste and serve hot with your choice of sauce.

POTATO GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Use potatoes of a fairly even size, as you're going to cook them whole. Cook in a large pan of boiling salted water for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender.
• Drain and leave until cool enough to handle, then remove the skins.
• Mash the potatoes using a potato ricer or masher on to a large clean board.
• Sprinkle over the flour, finely grate over half the nutmeg, season well with sea salt and black pepper, then scrunch and push the mixture together with clean hands. Depending on the potatoes, you may need to add a little more flour - use your common sense.
• Knead on a flour-dusted surface for a few minutes until pliable, then divide into 4 equal pieces and roll each into a sausage about 2cm thick.
• Slice into 3cm lengths - this is your basic gnocchi. Now you can gently roll each piece down a butter pat, the back of a fork or a fine grater to add grooves, which will help your sauce to stick, or simply roll into balls.
• Nonna Teresa cooked her gnocchi 2 portions at a time, as it's so quick, and it also means they're less likely to break up. Cook in a pan of boiling salted water for 2 to 3 minutes - as soon as they come up to the surface they're ready.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and toss with melted butter and finely grated Parmesan, my Hero tomato sauce (or leftover sauce from a stew, which you can see in the picture), then finely grate over a little Parmesan, to serve. I also like to add a little dollop of pesto - homemade or jarred, it's up to you.

LAMB RAGU WITH POTATO GNOCCHI: PASTICCIO DI AGNELLO CON GNOCCHI DI PATATE

Steps:

• Prepare the gnocchi according to the recipe. Keep the gnocchi covered and refrigerated until ready to use.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the lamb, onion, bay leaves, garlic, and rosemary in a roasting pan (see Cook¿s Note for clay roasting alternative). Drizzle the lamb mixture with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and mix well.
• Roast the lamb turning it after about 20 minutes. Cook until the meat begins to brown, about 40 minutes. Add the wine and stock, stir to coat, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Braise until the lamb is tender and cooked through, about 30 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, peel and trim the eggplant then cut it into ¼-inch cubes. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant, turning it frequently, until golden. Remove the eggplant from the skillet using a slotted spoon. Allow the eggplant to drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
• Add the eggplant and the gnocchi to the lamb stew. Top the stew with both the grated and broken pieces of Pecorino Romano cheese. Return the pot to the oven and cook until the liquid has reduced and is thickened by the melted cheese, about 15 minutes more.
• Remove the lamb from the oven and allow the stew to rest for 10 minutes. Spoon lamb with gnocchi, eggplant and sauce into warm bowls and serve.
• Place the potatoes in a medium size saucepan. Add a pinch of salt and enough water to cover the potatoes by 2 inches. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil over high heat. Reduce the temperature and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool just enough to handle. Peel, then mash or rice them.
• Place the flour and the salt in a mixing bowl. Add the warm smoothly mashed potatoes. Using a wooden spoon, mix the ingredients together. Drizzle the potato dough with olive oil and 1/4-cup of water. Mix well, incorporating all of the ingredients and forming a smooth ball. Set the dough aside for 10 minutes to relax.
• Working on a floured surface, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each portion of dough into a rope about 1/2-inch in diameter. Cut each rope into 1/4-inch pieces. Shape each piece of dough into a small ball. Roll the dough balls over the tines of a fork then set them aside on a lightly floured baking sheet.
• Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat so that the water is at a simmer. Working in batches, add gnocchi to the pot (shaking off any excess flour). Stir gently and cook the gnocchi until they float then remove them with a slotted spoon. They can be dressed and served at this point or chilled in an ice bath, drained then dressed with a little olive oil if they are to be held for several hours. Once cooked gnocchi can be stored in the refrigerator but should be eaten the same day they are made.

GATEAU DI PATATE: POTATO CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Boil the potatoes until fork tender and let cool. Heat up half the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the diced pancetta and chopped onions. Cook until the onions are golden in color and the pancetta is crisp. In a mixing bowl, mash the potatoes. Add an egg, the cooked onions and pancetta, the grated Parmigiano cheese, Parmigiano chunks and salt, and black pepper, to taste. Mix well until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Grease a baking dish with the remaining olive oil and add half the bread crumbs to the base of the dish and set aside. Transfer the potato mixture to the baking dish and spread the mixture evenly over the pan, packing the mixture so it serves as a solid bed. Add the remaining breadcrumbs on top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown.