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Butternut squash gnocchi with mushrooms, parsley, a simple red sauce and a sesame miso white sauce

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The squash makes the gnocchi soft and pillowy while the sauteed herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, capers and nutritional yeast, as well as the red and white sauces add a range of flavours and colours to the plate.

Ingredients

For the gnocchi
2 cups cooked butternut squash
2 cups hard wheat flour
1 liter water
1 1/4t coarse sea salt, divided
2T ground flax seeds
1T olive oil
1T nutritional yeast

For the mushrooms and parsley
2T olive oil
1/4t sea salt
3 scallions, minced (3″ of green reserved for garnish)
1T fresh garlic, minced
1T capers, minced
1t dried basil, rubbed
1t dried oregano, rubbed
1/2t dried thyme, rubbed
200g cremini mushrooms, in 1/2″ slices
2T apple cider vinegar
1 cup flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped (a few sprigs
set aside for garnish)
2T nutritional yeast
2T sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the red sauce
2T gnocchi water
1 cup passata (or tomato puree)
1/4t coarse sea salt
1T olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper (or other seasonings) to taste

For the white sauce
1/4 cup sesame seed butter
2t white miso
1T lemon juice
3-5T cold water
Sea salt to taste

Directions

Make the gnocchi first, then the vegetables, then the sauces.
Combine the squash, flour, flax and 1/4t sea salt and mix well to form a dough.
Bring the water and 1t of sea salt to a boil in a large pot.
Pinch the dough in 2t sizes and roll into balls. You can decorate by pressing with a fork if you want to be
traditional (this also helps the sauce to cling).
When the balls are ready, drop half into the boiling water and swirl gently.
Boil until the balls start to float (perhaps 3-5 minutes –but they’ll float when done).
Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Boil the remaining gnocchi until done and set aside.
Toss with 1T olive oil and 2T nutritional yeast.
Reserve 2T of the pasta water for the red sauce.
In a large frying pan, bring the cooking oil and sea salt to heat on medium high.
Add the scallion and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and the rest of the herbs and saute for 1 minute.
Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes until the pan starts to brown.
Add the apple cider vinegar and deglaze.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 5-7 minutes.
While the mushrooms simmer, make the red and white sauces.
In a small sauce pan, bring the oil and sea salt to heat on medium high.
Add the passata and gnocchi water and simmer on medium low for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside.
In a small cup or bowl, mix the sesame, lemon, miso and sea salt.
Add 3T of cold water to start.
Add more if necessary to achieve a white sauce consistency.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes and nutritional yeast to the mushrooms and stir to combine.
Add the parsley and saute for 3 minutes.
Add the gnocchi and saute for another 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside 1 minute to cool.
Plate gnocchi and add 1/4 of the red sauce in a wider circle and then 1/4 of the white sauce in dollops.
Drip a little red sauce around the plate for added presentation value.
Garnish with thinly sliced scallion greens and parsley around the plate.

Chick pea and nori gnocchi with smokey, heirloom carrot ribbons, sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, and spring mix

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The chick pea flour gives this gluten free version of this dish a lovely, soft chew that’s similar to potato and wheat flour. If you don’t have a spiralizer or a mandoline, you can shred the carrots using a box grater. The texture will be slightly different, but the flavor will be consistent.

Ingredients

For the gnocchi
1 cup tapioca flour
1 1/2 cups chick pea flour, 1/4 cup reserved
1 cup boiling water
1T green nori flakes
1/4t coarse sea salt
2 liters water with 2t coarse sea salt
1T olive oil
2T nutritional yeast
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the carrots
4 medium purple heirloom carrots (about 1 packed cup when cut)
1T cooking oil
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/2t red Thai chili paste (or similar or to taste)
2t tamari (use gluten free)
2t coconut sugar (maple syrup makes a good substitution)
A dash liquid smoke
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the spring mix
1T olive oil
2t balsamic vinegar
1 scallion, minced (4″ green reserve for garnish)
2t fresh garlic, minced
1/4t coarse sea salt
2 cups packed spring mix
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the garnish
2T sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped (use dehydrated, not jarred)
2T walnuts, chopped
Scallion green sliced on a diagonal as above

Instructions

Make the dressing, start the gnocchi and then carrots. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, scallion, garlic, and the coarse sea salt in a small dish until well combined. Set aside for the flavors to mix and start the pasta.

Mix the flours for the pasta with the course sea salt and nori. Whisking as you pour, add the boiling water. Be careful; it will be quite hot, but keep mixing. This will result in a dry and crumbly dough. That’s fine — it will continue to absorb flour, soften and become moist. Turn the dough out onto a cutting board. As soon as its cool enough for you to do so, knead as you would a regular dough until all the flour is absorbed and you have a smooth, pliable dough. Add additional chick pea flour 1 tablespoon at a time as you knead. Let rest 2 minutes.

When the dough is ready, roll out on a well-floured board in a rectangle until the dough is about 1/4″ thick. Tear or cut 2t pieces of dough. Roll each piece into a firm, smooth ball, then roll the dough gently into a slightly oblong shape. Ridge each gnocchi with a fork by gently but firmly pressing the back of the tines into the gnocchi. Repeat until you’ve used all of your dough. Let rest about 10 minutes and start the carrots.

Preheat the oven to 450F. Whisk the dressing for the carrots, and toss together until the carrots are well-coated. Add the carrots in a shallow layer to a roasting pan. Roast on the middle rack of the oven for about 10 minutes — until the carrots are lightly browned and chewy.

While the carrots roast, cook the pasta. In a large pot, bring the 2L water and sea salt to a simmer for the pasta. Add the gnocchi and simmer until they begin to float, about 3-5 minutes. Don’t boil and don’t overcook. Add 1T pasta water to the spring mix dressing. Drain the gnocchi, rinse thoroughly in cool water, toss in the 1T olive oil and nutritional yeast until well-coated, and season to taste.

In a large bowl, dress the spring mix, add the gnocchi, toss very gently to combine, and set aside until the carrots are ready. Once the carrots are ready, remove from the oven and season to taste. Then, plate the dish. Add the gnocchi and spring mix first, then add the carrot on top. Sprinkle with the sun-dried tomato, chopped walnuts, and scallions, and then serve.

Garlic and herb gnocchi with asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes

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A rich but simple potato pasta, paired up with traditional vegetables, kalamata olives, and a light red sauce. This makes a smaller appetizer size for 4 or a larger bowl for 2.

Ingredients

For the gnocchi
1 large floury potato (about 2 cups, mashed — I use organic russets)
1T fresh garlic, minced
1/2T herbes de Provence (or similar)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4t black pepper, freshly cracked
Up to 1/2 cup tapioca flour (see the note below)
1/3 cup brown rice flour
Coarse sea salt to taste
2 liters water with 2t coarse sea salt for boiling

For the sauce
2T pasta water
3 scallions, finely chopped
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/4t black pepper, freshly cracked
1T fresh garlic, minced
1/2T herbes de Provence (or similar)
16 asparagus stalks, bottoms broken off, cut into 1″ segments
1 cup artichoke hearts (don’t use jarred)
2T sun-dried tomatoes rehydrated in 1/4 cup boiling water (don’t use jarred)
1/2T lemon juice
1 cup tomato passata (or puree)
2T nutritional yeast
1/2T kalamata olives per bowl, pitted and sliced
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste

Optional: Typically, you would peel the potato once it has cooled, but I leave it on and blend it in. A lot of the fiber and other nutrients are in the skin. Add a little nutmeg for something more traditional. Add some fresh basil for additional colour and flavour. Finish the sauce with 1 – 2 tablespoons of olive oil for a richer mouth feel and flavour.

Method

First, start the gnocchi, then make the sauce. Boil the potato unpeeled in enough water to cover for about 30 minutes. Drain and chill uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

When the potato has cooled and you’re ready to start the gnocchi, add the boiling water to the sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl and set aside. Puree smooth. Add the garlic, herbs, and nutritional yeast, 1/4 cup tapioca, and the brown rice flour. Mix thoroughly and let stand about 15 minutes. Add more tapioca as necessary until a soft dough forms. Add salt to taste.

If you find your dough doesn’t come together is too moist, add more tapioca flour 1 tablespoon at a time. But start with 1/4 cup. If it’s too dry, add a little water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If you’re unsure whether the dough is right, test one piece and see what the resulting texture is like before committing.

When the dough is ready, roll out gently into lines about 1/2″ in diameter and cut into 1″ segments. You can also roll about 1T pinches of dough as dumplings if you prefer. Lines are more traditional. Decorate each gnocchi with a gentle fork press (striation helps to hold the sauce with the pasta).

In a large pan, bring the 2 liters water and salt to a light boil on high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Add the gnocchi and swirl the pan to avoid sticking. Simmer the gnocchi until they float. Don’t overcook.

Drain carefully, reserving 2T water for the sauce. Rinse gently but thoroughly with cold water. Turn then out onto a clean, dry cutting board and let them dry a little while you make the sauce.

Warm a large frying pan on medium high heat. Add the water, scallions and sea salt. Water saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and herbs. Saute for 1 minutes. Add the asparagus and saute for 4 – 5 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts and saute for 2 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes (including the soaking water) and the lemon juice. Deglaze the pan.

Add the tomato passata. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for another 3 minutes. Add the gnocchi to the pan and toss to combine. Simmer for 2 minutes, remove from heat and toss with the nutritional yeast.

Let stand a minute or so to cool. Season to taste. To plate, spoon out and garnish with olives and more nutritional yeast if you like, and serve.