Gnocchi Potato and Basil Pesto
Gnocchi Potato and Basil Pesto
Ingredients
For the Gnocchi
- 500 g old or starchy potatoes
- 1 medium egg
- 175 g 00 flour, plus extra for dusting
- 40 g Grana Padano cheese, grated (optional)
- as needed salt, for dough and boiling water
For the Basil Pesto
- 30 g basil, leaves picked and stalk discarded
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 g pine nuts, lightly toasted
- 1 garlic clove, skin removed
- 50 g Grana Padano cheese, grated
- a touch lemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Boil the 500g of old or starchy potatoes until tender. Once boiled, drain them and let them steam dry for 5 minutes to remove excess moisture. This is a crucial step for good gnocchi.
⏱️ 20 min
- 2
Pour the 175g of 00 flour onto a clean wooden board. Create a large well or space in the middle of the flour.
⏱️ 2 min
- 3
Use a potato ricer to mash the prepared potatoes directly into the center of the flour well.
⏱️ 3 min
- 4
Crack the 1 medium egg into the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle salt over the mixture. Add the 40g of grated Grana Padano cheese if using.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Begin mixing the egg yolk and surrounding ingredients with a fork in the center. Then, use a dough scraper or spatula to gently mix all the ingredients together, incorporating the flour from the sides.
⏱️ 3 min
- 6
Use your hands to gently squeeze and bring the mixture together until it forms a soft dough. Stop kneading as soon as the dough comes together to prevent it from becoming too sticky and requiring too much additional flour.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Lightly dust the dough with extra flour. Using a dough scraper, cut the dough in half lengthwise. Gently roll each half into a 1-centimeter thick "sausage" or rope. Apply light pressure when rolling.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Take two dough ropes at a time. Dust them with plenty of flour. Using the dough scraper, cut the ropes into pieces that are about one finger thick.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
You can leave the cut gnocchi pieces as they are, or shape them. To shape, lightly press and roll each piece down a gnocchetti board, or against the tines of a fork. Alternatively, roll into small balls and poke an indentation with your finger.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Place the shaped gnocchi on a board and set them aside while you prepare the pesto.
- 11
In a tall container suitable for an immersion blender, add the 30g of fresh basil leaves (stalks discarded), the 1 peeled garlic clove, the 30g of lightly toasted pine nuts, the 60ml of extra virgin olive oil, and a touch of lemon juice.
⏱️ 3 min
- 12
Use an immersion blender to blitz all the pesto ingredients together until mostly smooth.
⏱️ 2 min
- 13
Add the 50g of grated Grana Padano cheese to the pesto mixture. Give it a final blitz until the pesto is smooth and well combined.
⏱️ 1 min
- 14
Taste the pesto and adjust seasoning if needed.
⏱️ 1 min
- 15
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add plenty of salt.
⏱️ 5 min
- 16
Gently add the gnocchi into the boiling water. Do not stir immediately.
⏱️ 1 min
- 17
As soon as the gnocchi float to the surface of the water (this usually takes 1-2 minutes), use a slotted spoon to carefully remove them and transfer them into a serving bowl.
⏱️ 2 min
- 18
Add the prepared basil pesto directly on top of the hot gnocchi in the bowl. Fresh pesto should not be cooked.
⏱️ 1 min
- 19
For a smoother sauce and to use all the pesto, add a few tablespoons of the gnocchi cooking water into the blender container with any remaining pesto. Swirl or briefly blitz, then pour this mixture over the gnocchi.
⏱️ 1 min
- 20
Gently mix the gnocchi and pesto together until the gnocchi are evenly coated. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Gnocchi Potato and Basil Pesto
For the Gnocchi
- 500 g old or starchy potatoes
- 1 medium egg
- 175 g 00 flour, plus extra for dusting
- 40 g Grana Padano cheese, grated (optional)
- as needed salt, for dough and boiling water
For the Basil Pesto
- 30 g basil, leaves picked and stalk discarded
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 g pine nuts, lightly toasted
- 1 garlic clove, skin removed
- 50 g Grana Padano cheese, grated
- a touch lemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Boil the 500g of old or starchy potatoes until tender. Once boiled, drain them and let them steam dry for 5 minutes to remove excess moisture. This is a crucial step for good gnocchi.
⏱️ 20 min - 2
Pour the 175g of 00 flour onto a clean wooden board. Create a large well or space in the middle of the flour.
⏱️ 2 min - 3
Use a potato ricer to mash the prepared potatoes directly into the center of the flour well.
⏱️ 3 min - 4
Crack the 1 medium egg into the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle salt over the mixture. Add the 40g of grated Grana Padano cheese if using.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Begin mixing the egg yolk and surrounding ingredients with a fork in the center. Then, use a dough scraper or spatula to gently mix all the ingredients together, incorporating the flour from the sides.
⏱️ 3 min - 6
Use your hands to gently squeeze and bring the mixture together until it forms a soft dough. Stop kneading as soon as the dough comes together to prevent it from becoming too sticky and requiring too much additional flour.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Lightly dust the dough with extra flour. Using a dough scraper, cut the dough in half lengthwise. Gently roll each half into a 1-centimeter thick "sausage" or rope. Apply light pressure when rolling.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Take two dough ropes at a time. Dust them with plenty of flour. Using the dough scraper, cut the ropes into pieces that are about one finger thick.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
You can leave the cut gnocchi pieces as they are, or shape them. To shape, lightly press and roll each piece down a gnocchetti board, or against the tines of a fork. Alternatively, roll into small balls and poke an indentation with your finger.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Place the shaped gnocchi on a board and set them aside while you prepare the pesto.
- 11
In a tall container suitable for an immersion blender, add the 30g of fresh basil leaves (stalks discarded), the 1 peeled garlic clove, the 30g of lightly toasted pine nuts, the 60ml of extra virgin olive oil, and a touch of lemon juice.
⏱️ 3 min - 12
Use an immersion blender to blitz all the pesto ingredients together until mostly smooth.
⏱️ 2 min - 13
Add the 50g of grated Grana Padano cheese to the pesto mixture. Give it a final blitz until the pesto is smooth and well combined.
⏱️ 1 min - 14
Taste the pesto and adjust seasoning if needed.
⏱️ 1 min - 15
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add plenty of salt.
⏱️ 5 min - 16
Gently add the gnocchi into the boiling water. Do not stir immediately.
⏱️ 1 min - 17
As soon as the gnocchi float to the surface of the water (this usually takes 1-2 minutes), use a slotted spoon to carefully remove them and transfer them into a serving bowl.
⏱️ 2 min - 18
Add the prepared basil pesto directly on top of the hot gnocchi in the bowl. Fresh pesto should not be cooked.
⏱️ 1 min - 19
For a smoother sauce and to use all the pesto, add a few tablespoons of the gnocchi cooking water into the blender container with any remaining pesto. Swirl or briefly blitz, then pour this mixture over the gnocchi.
⏱️ 1 min - 20
Gently mix the gnocchi and pesto together until the gnocchi are evenly coated. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 1 min