Gnocchi Ingredients
- 4-5 Medium red potatoes
- 150g Plain flour
- 1 Medium egg
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of black pepper.
Sauce Ingredients
- 55g Butter
- 55g Flour
- 500ml Milk
- 90g Mature cheddar (grated)
- 200g Spinach (wilted, drained and chopped)
Gnocchi Method
Step 1
Peel and chop the potatoes into evenly sized pieces. Boil the potatoes in boiling, salted water until you can run a sharp knife through them with ease. Drain into a colander and leave to steam dry until there is no more steam coming from the potatoes (around 20-30 minutes).
Step 2
Put potatoes through a ricer/mash until smooth, then mix with the egg, flour and seasoning until you are left with a light, smooth dough. Roll the dough into a long sausage shape until the diameter is around that of a £1 coin.
Step 3
Cut into gnocchi sized pieces and either leave as they are or roll across a gnocchi board for those distinct ridges (adding plenty of flour as you go along).
Step 4
Add the gnocchi to simmering salted water until they each slowly rise to the top, indicating they are cooked. Drain with a slotted spoon and add to a hot frying pan with oil, and a teaspoon of butter for extra flavour. Turn them every couple of minutes until golden and crisp on both sides then leave to one side before adding to your sauce (cheesy spinach in this case).
Sauce Method
Step 1
Melt the butter in a pot over a medium heat until fully melted. Add the flour and stir well until combined. Cook this out for a few minutes, stirring constantly.
Step 2
Add the milk bit by bit (make sure it’s all combined before adding the next lot) until all the milk is incorporated then cook this out for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. It should have a thick consistency.
Step 3
Add the cheese and cook until fully melted. At this point you can turn the heat down and then add your spinach and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Step 4
Add to the gnocchi and voila! This could also be used to make a delicious pasta dish or a twist on mac and cheese. We roasted some cherry tomatoes for 20 mins in the oven too for a bit of freshness!
