Gnocchi filled with Mushrooms with a Butter, Sage & Balsamic Sauce

Gnocchi filled with Mushrooms with a Butter, Sage & Balsamic Sauce

A wonderfully different type of Gnocchi filled with your favourite mushrooms.  This is a fantastic starter to impress your guests.

Serves 4 as a starter, 2 as a main course

Prep time: 15-20 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the gnocchi

250g/9oz potatoes

150g/5oz plain flour, plus extra for rolling out

30g/1oz corn flour

3 eggs, yolks only

Salt

For the filling

3 tbsp olive oil

2 shallots, very finely chopped

1 garlic clove, very finely chopped

150g/5oz your favourite mushrooms, very finely chopped

Salt & pepper

1 rosemary branch, very finely chopped

Handful of parsley, very finely chopped

For the sauce

55g/2oz butter

Handful of sage leaves

2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated

Drizzle of balsamic vinegar

30g/1oz pine nuts, toasted

Method

1.  Firstly bake your potatoes in the oven or microwave.

2.  Meanwhile, make the mushroom filling by heating the olive oil in a pan and gently fry the onion and garlic until softened.  Add the mushrooms and stir for 1 minute, season with salt and pepper, add the herbs and cook for a few minutes until the mushrooms are soft.  Set aside and leave to cool.

3.  For the gnocchi, when the potatoes are baked and cooled, peel off the skin and mash the potatoes or put through a potato ricer.  Put the mash into a bowl and add the flour and corn flour, add the eggs and salt and mix well until you have sticky dough.

4.  Place the dough on a floured surface and roll out until you have a thin sheet.  Use a 6cm/2 ½ inch pastry cutter and cut out 40 rounds.  Place 1 tsp of the filling in the centre of 20 of the round shapes and place the remaining rounds on top and press down the edges with your fingers.

5.  Boil some salted water in a large pan then drop in the gnocchi.  When they come to the surface cook for a further two minutes (they are much thicker than normal gnocchi).

6.  Meanwhile in a large pan melt the butter, add the sage and drained gnocchi then mix in the parmesan.  Share between four plates for a starter or 2 for a main course, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.

Cooks tips

v You can prepare the gnocchi a few hours in advance and keep in the refrigerator.