EASY HOMEMADE GNOCCHI, with ANYTHING YOU LIKE

This is a recipe that once tried, you'll come back to over and over again.

1. It's SUPER EASY
2. It makes you feel like an Italian Domestic Goddess
3. It's SUPER CHEAP
4. It's versatile to the point you can pretty much stick anything you like over it. 
5. It's great to make with the kids. 

When Roo was weaning and we were very skint, I made a lot of gnocchi. That was about 9 years ago. We were mad for the stuff, and then I kind of just forgot about it. Well, in the interests of our budget saving, I returned to it last night - and honestly, I can't believe how easy it is and how silly I've been for not making it in several years. 

I had forgotten the simple joy of making dough, cutting it and then watching with child-like fascination as it pops to the top of the boiling water announcing to the world that it's cooked. 

I'm going to give you last night's recipe but at the end of it, I'm going to talk you through some fabulous alternatives. 

Last night I fried mine off in butter - because that is how I really love gnocchi, but very often you don't need to do the frying stage, especially if you're going to do sauce based bakes - more on that later. 

Gnocchi is so versatile, you can do a lot of
different things with it. Last night we had it
with wilted spinach and blue-cheese and
roast tomatoes. It was delicious with salad,
and very man-pleasing LOL. Jonathan
said it was his favourite dish of the week,
and there has been some stiff competition
this week. 

So many recipes and cooking books suggest that Quick and Easy is all people want. This has always frustrated me. There are some days that I actually want to take it SLOW and MINDFUL in the kitchen; when I'm not looking for a chuck it together kind of deal. I want dishes that I can chill out and cook with the kids whilst chattering about school, life and the universe. This is one of those dishes. 

It's a time to put on your pinny and the radio and lose yourself in the simple pleasures of turning basic ingredients into something special, just as if you were a magician. 

This dish will do ANY social occasion from after school children's dinners, to date night, to big family gatherings, to Sunday lunches. 

LEVEL: EASY

COST: £ (per portion, the gnocchi is about 40-50p a portion and then toppings vary) 

VEGETARIAN

TIME: About an 1 hour of lovely relaxing prep. 

INGREDIENTS  (Serves 6)

Basic Gnocchi recipe

1. 4-5 medium potatoes peeled, quartered and boiled until just soft. 
2. 90-100g of flour 
3. 1 egg

Pan Fried in Butter with wilted spinach, blue cheese and warm tomatoes. 

a couple of teaspoons of butter

1 bag of spinach or 2 large bunches from the market

1 palm size piece of blue cheese - gorgonzola or stilton or any other blue cheese

5-6 cherry tomatoes. 

METHOD. 

The dough should just hold
together like this. You'll
feel when it's right in
your hand. 

1. Rice or mash your boiled potatoes until they are fluffy and lump free (I always use a ricer) 
2. Scatter and fold in half the flour into the mashed potatoes 
3. Add the beaten egg and fold
4. Add the rest of the flour. and with your hands, begin to turn the dough over in the bowl. You want to keep the dough as soft as you can but so that it still holds together. You may need to had a small handful of extra flour if you're potatoes were a little bigger. 

NEXT 

They firm up whilst cooking
and go a little heavier and a
little slimy. 

1. Cut the dough into about 6 pieces and using your fingers on a floured board, make it into a small sausage / snake shape. Cutting it into small pieces a little wider than the width of a fork. 
2. In a large pan, bring water up to the boil and turn down to a gentle simmer. Plop your little soft dough balls into the hot water and watch as they sink to the bottom. After a minute or two, they will float to the surface and let you know they are ready. 



Cut them a little wider than
a fork and then press the
fork in - the idea is that
it will trap the sauce and
flavours, as well as making
it look pretty. 

3. Scoop from the surface and put on a plate. Repeat this process until you have used all your dough. 

NEXT - if you're not making a sauce-baked dish (see below for details) 

Fry until golden brown

1. In a frying pan, heat butter and oil until the butter starts to foam. Fry them off in batches (if you add too many, the residual water will make them sweat rather than fry golden brown.) Each batch takes a few minutes and they need a little care so as to keep them golden and not burned. 

2. In the same buttery pan, add your washed spinach and wilt it down. Spread out across the bottom of an oven proof dish and layer up the gnocchi around it, pulling out bits of spinach to make it look pretty. Add crumbled blue cheese and the tomatoes halved. 

3. Warm through in the oven for about 15 minutes. For the purposes of last night, I wanted to serve it with salad so didn't want it piping hot - just warmed, but leave it in for 20-25 if you want it really hot. 

TOP TIP: You can make these in big batches and then keep them in the fridge in a Tupperware box for 3-4 days, just heating them up when and as. 

OPTIONS & IDEAS

SPINACH AND PARMESAN

I split the gnocchi portions and fed the girls with the gnocchi, wilted spinach and parmesan - a drizzle of truffle oil is wonderful on top. 

BAKED TOMATO GNOCCHI

Stop at the boiling stage and place in a casserole dish / oven proof lasagne dish. Add pasta, basil leaves and mozzarella and bake for around 30-40 minutes. 

CREAMY CHICKEN GNOCCHI BAKE

Stop at the boiling stage and make a white cheddar cheese sauce. Add either fried or roasted chicken, asparagus or peas and / or blue cheese and pour over the gnocchi, baking for around 30-40 minutes 

PAN FRIED WITH HOT SMOKED SALMON & HORSERADISH CREAM

Pan fry the gnocchi, place on a warmed plate and flake over hot-smoked salmon or trout. 

3tbsp Mayonaise

1 tbsp Creme Fraiche

1 tsp (to taste) Horseradish

PAN FRIED WITH PRAWNS & SCANDI CREAM & DILL

Pan fry the gnocchi, place on a warmed plate. On the side place the Prawn and Scandi Cream & Dill mix

3tbsp of Mayonnaise

1 tbsp Creme Fraiche

About 2-3 tbsp of finely chopped dill

3 handfuls of small atlantic prawns. 

The options are endless and I look forward to reading some of your favourite combinations in the comments. 

Courgette, Chili Penne Pasta with Spinach Balls.

LEVEL: Medium
TIME: approx 20-30 minutes
VEGETARIAN
COST: £

This was tonight's dinner.

Antonio Carluccio was a great food hero of mine. He elevated simplicity into something divine; his food based on principles of flavour, freshness and balance.

For years as a family we have loved going to Carluccio's and eating the courgette and spinach ball pasta dish; a firm favourite regardless of age.

Over the years, the dish has been assimilated into our own family recipe book. It's a dish that will force even the most dedicated carnivore to admit that there are really enjoyable vegetarian dishes.

In order to kick start our move towards more vegetarian dishes, this was put on the menu plan as a way of reassuring the family that it was all going to be alright LOL

INGREDIENTS: (For 4)

Good Quality dried pasta shells
1 large courgette
Half a red chilli
1 clove of garlic
olive oil

FOR THE SPINACH BALLS:

5-6 Frozen spinach balls
parmesan cheese
1 Egg
1 cup of white bread crumbs

This is my Tefl electric grater (several
different grating wheels for different jobs). It's
 fab
for making up 'posh' salads, and for jobs
like this. It's a really handy piece of
kitchen equipment. 

• Defrost the spinach balls by placing in a frying pan and stirring until all the moisture has gone and put aside.
• In a mixing bowl put a cup of breadcrumbs, a cup of grated parmesan, and one beaten egg. Add the spinach and mix well. 
• Place the pasta on to boil for about 10-13 minutes depending on preference. 
• Grate the courgette and fry in a pan with chilli and garlic and a generous slug of olive oil. 
• Form the spinach balls into balls about the size of a small ping-pong ball and shallow fry them in a frying pan, turning regularly until they turn a golden brown where the cheese and bread are. Place on baking tray and keep warm in the oven. 
• Drain the pasta, toss in the courgette mixture, plate up and place three spinach balls on top, sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese. 

Pork Chop and Blue Cheese Tray Bake

LEVEL: EASY
COST: ££
MEAT DISH
APPROX TIME: 15 minutes + 30-35 for roasting

Pork is one of my favourite meats. It's so versatile and
appears to be light on the digestion as well as being
really well priced. It's one of the cheaper organic / free-
range meat options out there and makes a great base for
loads of different flavours. 

This is one of the most deceptive dishes that I've found. When presented at the table it looks like you've been slaving over a hot stove for hours, and the rich blend of flavours enhances that illusion. In truth, this is a really great midweek meal because you literally sling everything into one roasting pan, stick it in the oven and walk away from it for 35 minutes. This week I used that time to fold and put away the washing, ensuring that for one rare time in my life I actually felt like I was nailing adult life.

This recipe is neither particularly healthy (although it's  not unhealthy either) and it's clearly not vegetarian, but it is cheap - especially being as the pork chops were on half price offer from Waitress this week. Having mum over on a Monday for dinner and the eldest staying up, the cost of this dinner came in at £8 for the four of us, so at £2 a head, that's pretty good going.


INGREDIENTS (FOR 4)

4 Pork chops with the bone in
Two handfuls of new potatoes,
3 or 4 sprigs of thyme
2 cloves of garlic
1 apple
A palm size of blue cheese

Bag of green mixed salad or serve with broccoli.

METHOD:

• Slice the new potatoes into slices about 1.5 cm thick, spread out on the bottom of a roasting pan that has already been brushed with olive oil. 
• Cut the apple into slices, removing the core and spread out over the potatoes
• Season with salt and pepper and lay the thyme sprigs on top. 
• Lay the pork chops on top of the bed of veggies and place in a pre-heated oven at about 180 for approx 30 minutes or longer (until the pork chops have gone a nice golden brown colour and the potatoes look cooked.)
• Sprinkle the chops with blue cheese and return to the oven for 5 minutes until the blue cheese has melted over the chop. 
• Serve on one big serving platter with a bowl of hot or cold green accompaniment and voila. Dinner is served. 

GRILLED GOATS CHEESE & CARAMELISED ONION CROSTINI ON SALAD WITH BALSAMIC DRESSING

I forgot to take a photo, which is a pity because it was
a really pretty plate of food, but instead, let me kill you
with cuteness as you look at these little poppets
gambolling around. 

LEVEL: EASY
COST: ££ (Approx £4 for 2)
VEGETARIAN
TIME: approx 20 minutes

NOTES: This is a dish that I have made many times as a starter dish when entertaining. It's a crowd pleaser (unless you hate goats' cheese and then this is probably not the recipe for you)
It's full of big flavours that trick you into thinking you have eaten a really substantial and satisfying meal, and of course there is the creamy goats cheese that makes you feel you're eating something really decadent.

It's very much worth making your own caramelised onion chutney because a) it's much cheaper, b) it tastes amazing c) it's not full of preservatives. You can always make a full sized batch up and use the rest over the course of the week in pack up sandwiches etc.

One of our all time favourite dishes that makes you look like a pro-chef with hardly any effort.

INGREDIENTS: 
Soft goats cheese
A stale french stick or loaf
Green mixed salad bag
2 medium onions
2tbsp Brown sugar
1tbsp of Red wine vinegar
half a cup of water
Balsamic reduction (can now be got from most supermarkets and a bottle lasts for ages)
Walnuts.

METHOD: 

• Slice your onion thinly and fry off in a little butter in a good non-stick pan until translucent and taking a little colour. Add the red wine vinegar and a smash of water and the sugar. Cook down and continuously stir for about 15-20 minutes until a lovely dark toffee colour. SET ASIDE
• Slice your bread (2 slices each) and toast one side. Turn over to the uncooked side and put the goats' cheese on and return to grill. 
• Plate out the bagged mixed salad (one with spinach, kale and watercress addition are really nice) 
• Scatter the walnuts over the salad. Place the grilled, brown cheesy loveliness in the middle of the plate, top with caramelised onions and then finish the plate with a drizzle of the balsamic reduction. 

LOADED BAKED CHEESY POTATO and AMERICAN WEDGE SALAD

Never underestimate the indulgent, comforting
value of a baked buttery potato. Instant sense of
home and self-care

LEVEL: SUPER SIMPLE
COST:  £
TIME: Approx 15 minutes (Oven on for 1.5 hours)
VEGETARIAN


A simple, easy supper as it was Thursday and the first day of the new term and we'd just got back from travels late the night before.

The humble baked potato is one of my all time favourites as it offers an instant warm hug.


NOTES: This was a great dinner as it had all the comforts of buttery potato filling you up warmly and the fresh, lightness of the salad. Was full and slept really well that night as I didn't feel like I was grinding food all night.

I've often relegated Jacket potatoes to side dishes or to the children's menu because they were too simple a dish, but actually, there's a real beauty in the simplicity of it, and as it was a really low time investment, I managed to get some writing done too, leading to a really productive night. The lack of wine helped with that, too.

INGREDIENTS: 
2 good sized baking potatoes
Butter
Handful of grated mature cheddar
Salt and pepper
Iceberg Lettuce
Paul Newman's ranch dressing
Tsp of capers for dressing

METHOD:
Bake the potatoes in the oven until you can slide a knife in (Approx 1-1.5 hours)
Scoop out the flesh (careful not to damage the skins) and mash in a bowl with butter, pepper, salt and a little grated cheese.
Spoon back into the jackets and then place back in the oven until crunchy brown on top.

Cut two good wedges out of an iceberg lettuce, pour on Paul Newman's Ranch dressing (the best we've found of the choices) and sprinkle with a spoonful of capers.


NOTES: This was a great dinner as it had all the comforts of buttery potato filling you up warmly and the fresh, lightness of the salad. Was full and slept really well that night as I didn't feel like I was grinding food all night.

I've often relegated Jacket potatoes to side dishes or to the children's menu because they were too simple a dish, but actually, there's a real beauty in the simplicity of it, and as it was a really low time investment, I managed to get some writing done too, leading to a really productive night. The lack of wine helped with that, too.