Gnocchi with Herb Pesto

Gnocchi with herb pesto is a delicious and comforting dish that combines the softness of gnocchi with the freshness of pesto. Here’s how you can prepare it:

Ingredients

• For the gnocchi:

  • 1 kg of floury potatoes
  • 300 g of 00 flour (may vary based on absorption)
  • 1 egg (optional)
  • Salt to taste

• For the herb pesto:

  • 2 bunches of fresh basil
  • 1 bunch of fresh parsley
  • 1 bunch of arugula
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 50 g of pine nuts
  • 100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
  • 100 ml of extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Start with the preparation of the gnocchi. Boil the potatoes with their skin on in a pot of salted water until they are soft. Drain, let cool slightly, and then peel.

2. Mash the potatoes using a potato masher or a food mill, collecting the puree on a work surface.

3. Add the sifted flour, a pinch of salt, and the egg (the latter is optional and depends on the consistency you want to achieve). Work the dough until you achieve a homogeneous mass.

4. Cut the dough into pieces and form each into “sausages” about 2 cm in diameter. Cut these cylinders into chunks about 2 cm long.

5. Roll each gnocchetto over a fork or a gnocchi board to give them the characteristic ridged shape that will help hold the pesto.

6. For the pesto, wash and dry the herbs. Peel the garlic cloves. Toast the pine nuts in a pan until they are golden brown.

7. In a blender, chop the basil, parsley, and arugula with the garlic, toasted pine nuts, Parmesan, salt, and pepper until you get a homogeneous mixture. While blending, add the olive oil until the desired consistency is reached.

8. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi until they float to the surface (usually after 1-2 minutes they indicate that they are ready).

9. Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a bowl with some of the cooking water to keep them moist.

10. Mix the gnocchi with the prepared herb pesto until they are well coated.

The dish is now ready to be served. You can add a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of raw oil if desired.

Fun Facts

Pesto is a typical preparation of Ligurian cuisine and is usually made only with basil. However, the addition of other herbs such as parsley and arugula enriches the flavor of the pesto and gives it a slightly spicy and fresh note. Gnocchi, on the other hand, is a very popular dish in northern Italy; each region has its variations. In this recipe, we have combined the tradition of the north with the typical flavor of Liguria.