Fresh gnocchi with blue cheese and asparagus

Babiche Martens

Making gnocchi is not scary at all and it is amazingly satisfying to watch it float to the surface of the boiling water when the dough is transformed. Make plenty and put some in the freezer, and you will have a very easy dinner on hand. I love gnocchi with a simple tomato sauce, or even burned butter and sage, paired with grated parmesan. This is a standby dinner ready in 10 minutes. The sauce is very simple, with a taste of tangy lemon and rich blue cheese. Fresh mint and asparagus add texture and colour. Serve this as an entree, or a main with a side salad.

Ingredients

750 g	Agria potatoes (Main)
1	Egg, yolk only
250 g	Flour
1 tsp	Salt
25 g	Butter
80 g	Blue cheese
1	Lemon, zest & juice
1 to taste	Salt & freshly ground pepper
1 bunch	Asparagus, blanched (Main)
2 Tbsp	Mint leaves, shredded
1 to garnish	Shaved parmesan

Directions

1. In a large pot of salted water, boil potatoes, skin on, until soft.
2. Remove and cool until easy to handle, then peel away skin.
3. Either squish through a fine sieve, using the back of a large spoon, or use a ricer.
4. Place flour on to a clean bench, place potato on top and add egg yolk.
5. Using your hands, combine until you have a firm dough. You may need to add more flour if it is too sticky.
6. Cut dough in four and roll each piece into a long sausage shape, 1.5cm thick. Cut each into 1cm pieces.
7. Fill a pot with salted water and bring to the boil.
8. Drop gnocchi into the water a small handful at a time and as they rise to the top, scoop out and set aside.
9. If not using immediately, place into cold water to cool, then drain and drizzle with a bit of olive oil and store in the fridge until ready to use.
10. In a frying pan, melt butter until bubbling and add lemon, blue cheese, salt and pepper.
11. Toss in asparagus and gnocchi, then serve immediately with mint leaves and parmesan.