Gnocchi is a winning dish in our family. Both my kids get excited when I tell them we are having gnocchi for dinner. There’s something quite comforting about these little potato nuggets. Rather easy to make and great to get the kids involved in the process as well. Perhaps it brings me back to my own childhood when I remember my Mum and Grandmother making gnocchi and I would play with the dough. Now forward on quite a few years and my kids also enjoy helping me make these and cutting the sausage like logs into smaller mouth sized bites.
This is a simple vegetarian recipe that is a great family dish and ideal for toddlers and kids. The gnocchi is soft and delightful. It is a filling meal and the addition of kale and spinach add in iron and other beneficial nutrients and vitamins. I love how simple this tomato sauce recipe is yet how flavorsome it is. You can use this tomato sauce recipe with other dishes like pasta or as a base sauce for a rice dish.
Serving Size : 4 Serves
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup chopped mixed kale and spinach
- 200g Baby Tomatoes, halved
- 50g Tomato Paste
- 1 tbsp Coconut Sugar
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Mild Pepper (optional)
- 1 cup Tomato Juice (I used whole tomatoes and crushed them using the juice and used the crushed tomatoes for an entirely different dish or you can add them to this sauce)
- 1 Clove Garlic, crushed
- Basil Leaves, to serve (optional)
- 500g Starchy Potatoes, unpeeled
- 1 egg, beaten
- 150g flour + extra for dusting
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 180C degree
- Toss tomatoes, tomato paste, remaining olive oil and sugar together in the same tray. Season. Roast 15 – 20 minutes until tomatoes blister. Add tomato juice, chopped kale and spinach and garlic and bake for 15 minutes more. Squash tomatoes to make chunky sauce. Set aside but keep warm.
- Place potatoes in a large pot of cold salted water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes or until soft. Drain and place potatoes on a baking tray. Bake for 10 minutes at 120C degree to dry potato flesh. Set aside to cool slightly, then peel while still warm and mash in a bowl.
- Make a well in the center and add egg, 2/3 (100g) of the flour and seasoning. Mix gently to form a soft dough, adding remaining flour if necessary (depending on moisture content of potato).
- Turn onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a rectangle. Slice into 4 pieces. Roll each piece with floured palms into a rope-like lenght. Slice into 1cm pieces to form a little nuggets and score with a fork to create ridges.
- Add gnocchi to a pot of simmering salted water. Cook for few minutes until they rise to the surface, stirring occassionally. Remove with a slotted spoon adn add to the hot sauce. Add about 1/2 cup (125ml) cooking water and toss to coat.
- Serve and Enjoy!