Julie Goodwin – Gnocchi with Broccoli & Pesto

Gnocchi with Broccoli & Pesto

Step 1 Reserve a handful of the toasted pine nuts for serving. Put all the rest of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blitz until combined, but still a little bit chunky. Remove to a large bowl.

Step 2 Peel the potatoes and cut in half if they are large. Try to have them all a similar size so they will cook at the same time. Place in a large pot of salted water and bring to the boil. Boil for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes, or until a skewer easily goes into them.

Step 3 Drain the potatoes. Make sure they are very dry. Put the potatoes through a potato ricer or a mesh sieve. It is important that they are mashed very finely. Scatter the flour over the potatoes, add the half egg, and stir with a wooden spoon until it comes together in a dough.

Step 4 Flour a work surface and turn the dough out. If it is very sticky, add a little more flour. Gently knead the dough for only as long as is necessary to bring it together in a smooth mass. Roll the dough into a large sausage and cut it into four pieces. Roll one piece into a sausage about the thickness of your thumb and cut into 2cm lengths. Place the gnocchi onto a heavily floured tray. Repeat this process with the remaining pieces of dough.

Step 5 Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Drop the broccolini in and boil for 2 minutes or until al dente. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the bowl of pesto. Drop the gnocchi into the water. In a couple of minutes, they will start to bob to the surface. Once they are floating, they are cooked. Lift very gently out of the water with the slotted spoon and drain. Place into the bowl along with the pesto and broccolini. When all cooked, gently stir together. If you need to loosen the pesto add a little opf

Step 6 Season with salt and pepper. Serve into warmed bowls and top with reserved pine nuts and a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.