Gnocchi with pestoThis is the ideal time to make pesto.It’s in this season that basil plants give their best.You can notice this by how easy it is to find basil on supermarket counters or at the greengrocer.Pesto is a simple and aromatic sauce, prepared cold in very little time.In my opinion the best way to enjoy it is paired with potato gnocchi.This is because the resilient texture of the gnocchi matches the creaminess of the pesto.In reality the recipe for potato gnocchi with pesto doesn’t require a very long explanation.Only a few small tips are necessary for perfect results.But if you really don’t have time, ready-made gnocchi will work perfectly.Now let’s discover how to make gnocchi with pesto!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 persone
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 793.27 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 100.33 (g) of which sugars 3.67 (g)
- Proteins 22.36 (g)
- Fat 36.92 (g) of which saturated 8.54 (g)of which unsaturated 5.92 (g)
- Fibers 7.47 (g)
- Sodium 2,660.23 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 200 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2.2 lb potatoes
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- as needed re-milled durum wheat semolina (for the work surface)
- 2 bunches basil (about 2.1 oz (about 2 packed cups of leaves))
- 6 2/3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2.5 oz Parmigiano Reggiano PDO (aged 36 months)
- 1 oz Pecorino Romano
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 pinch coarse salt
- 2 cloves garlic
Tools
- Blender
- Pot
- Potato ricer
Preparation
First, clean the basil by picking only the leaves, rinse them quickly under water to remove any dirt and gently dry them with a cloth.
Put the basil leaves in the blender cup with the pine nuts, grated Parmigiano, grated Pecorino, the garlic cloves (cut in half and removed the shoot) and a pinch of coarse salt and start blending. While continuing to blend, slowly add the extra virgin olive oil in a thin stream until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous cream. Be careful not to blend continuously (TIP to avoid pesto darkening): otherwise the blender blades would overheat and the pesto would “cook” and darken. Proceed in short bursts, turning the blender on and off for a few seconds at a time. Here is your GENOVESE BASIL PESTO! Remember: Basil Pesto should NEVER be cooked!!!!
For the preparation of Potato Gnocchi I refer you to this LINK where you will find ingredients and procedure as well as all the tricks to obtain the right texture: neither gummy nor too soft that dissolves during cooking.
Place a pot with plenty of lightly salted water on the stove. As soon as it reaches a boil, drop in the freshly made gnocchi and cook for about 3 minutes. They cook very quickly and when they are ready they begin to float to the surface. Gently drain them with a slotted spoon and dress them with Genovese Basil Pesto, loosening the sauce with a tablespoon of the gnocchi cooking water. Toss gently so that all the gnocchi are coated. Remember that basil pesto must NEVER be cooked and is used only raw. Serve immediately, decorating the plate with a few basil leaves.
Notes
TIPS: The optimal amount of sauce to dress Gnocchi with Genovese pesto is one level tablespoon per person. It is possible to freeze Genovese pesto in small glass or plastic containers.
