Gnocchi (N(Y)OH-kee) are a family of dumplings made of small lumps of dough in Italian cuisine. The dough combines flour, potato, egg, and salt. The dough has regional variations with semolina, cheese, breadcrumbs, cornmeal, herbs, vegetables, and other ingredients. Base ingredients may be substituted with alternatives such as sweet potatoes for potatoes or rice and buckwheat flour for wheat flour. Gnocchi are cooked in boiling water and served with various sauces like melted or brown butter, pesto, etc.
This recipe features Mancan buckwheat flour by Barton Springs Mill. Mancan Buckwheat is a mid-season buckwheat developed at the Agriculture Canada Research Station, Morden, Manitoba, in 1973. Its seed size is 26% larger than that of the standard Tokyo variety.
Dishes made with buckwheat flour pump up your everyday nutrition!
BSM mills the whole buckwheat with the hull on, then sifts to remove approximately 85% of the crushed hull material. What remains is a lightly speckled flour that retains the flavor and complexity of the hull without any gritty texture.
Buckwheat Gnocchi with Avocado-Arugula Sauce
(2-3 portions)
Ingredients for the dough:
- 200 g roasted sweet potatoes
- 100 g buckwheat flour
- 1 tsp salt, adjust to your taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, adjust to your taste
- 1 egg yolk, large
Ingredients for the sauce:
- 50 g avocado
- 50 g chevre, soft goat cheese
- 30 g arugula
- 1 tsp salt, adjust to your taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, adjust to your taste
- 5 g (1 clove) garlic, adjust to your taste
- 1/5 cup water, cold
Instructions for the dough:
Preheat oven to 375F. Line the baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
Wash and dry sweet potatoes. Cut them lengthwise in half. Lightly spray potatoes with avocado oil, season with salt and pepper, arrange cut side up, and bake for 45 min to an hour, until soft and fully cooked. Let them cool. Peel and discard the skin. Measure 200 g of potatoes and save the rest for other uses.
You can make the dough using a fork and a shallow bowl. Mash the potatoes. Add seasoning and egg yolk and mix well. Add buckwheat flour and combine it well with the wet ingredients. When done, this dough becomes similar to Pâte à Choux.
Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Prepare a pastry bag with a close star piping tip. Fill it with the dough. Cut portions of the dough over boiling water using scissors. Your gnocchi will go to the bottom of the pot first, then float to the surface. Give them another minute in boiling water, and they are ready to be strained onto a baking sheet. Make sure cooked gnocchi are cooling in a single layer. Let them cool to room temperature.
Cold gnocchi can be served hot, warm, or cold with a sauce or as an element of a salad. They can be stored in a closed container in the refrigerator and then reheated in a sauce or fried in a pan with butter or oil with or without additional ingredients like mushrooms, vegetables, or lean proteins.
Instructions for the sauce:
Place all ingredients into a blender jar and blend them.
I served it with micro greens, nasturtium leaves, and garlicky chives flowers from my garden. Use whatever you have handy in your kitchen to add more textures and flavors to the dish.
10 июл 2024
