Gnocchi with Salsa di Noci  

Recipe by Gemma Plunkett  

Serves: 4-6 

Ingredients: 

Gnocchi 

• 4 medium brushed potatoes, washed and unpeeled (approx 850g)  
• Salt 
• 200g 00 flour, plus extra if needed 
• 1 egg, beaten 
  

Salsa di noci (walnut pesto) 

• 150g walnuts 
• 50g pine nuts 
• 50g soft white bread (such as sourdough), crusts removed 
• 1 cup milk 
• 1 garlic clove 
• A few sprigs marjoram, plus extra leaves to serve 
• 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus extra to serve 
• 100ml extra virgin olive oil 
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

To Serve: 

• Parmigiano Reggiano 
• Extra virgin olive oil 
• Marjoram leaves 
• Crispy croutons (made from the reserved bread crusts) 

Method: 

1. Boil the washed, unpeeled potatoes in a large pot of well-salted water until they are completely tender, about 40–50 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, roast the walnuts and pine nuts at 160°C for 10 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove 50g of the soft white interior from a loaf of bread, and soak it in 1 cup of milk. Tear the crusts into bite-sized pieces, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and bake for about 20 minutes, tossing halfway, until crisp and golden. 
3. To make the walnut pesto, squeeze the soaked bread, reserving the milk, then add the bread to a blender with the toasted nuts, garlic and a few sprigs of marjoram. Blend to a rough paste, then gradually add enough of the reserved milk until the mixture has the consistency of porridge. Stir through the Parmigiano Reggiano and olive oil, stir through a few extra marjoram leaves, season well with salt and pepper and set aside. 
4. Bring another large pot of well-salted water to the boil for the gnocchi. 
5. Once the potatoes are cooked, peel them while they're still piping hot using a spoon, then pass them through a potato ricer onto a clean bench. Sprinkle over the flour, add the beaten egg and a generous pinch of salt, then gently bring everything together into a soft dough, adding a little more flour if needed. Be careful not to overwork it. 
6. Cook a small piece of dough as a test. Once it floats to the surface, cook for another minute before tasting. If it falls apart, knead in a little more flour and test again until the gnocchi hold together while remaining soft and light. 
7. Divide the dough into four pieces. Roll each into a 2cm-thick log and cut into 2cm pieces. Cook the gnocchi in two batches until they float, then cook for another minute before transferring them directly to a large bowl with the walnut pesto and ½ cup of the cooking water. Toss gently to coat, then serve with extra Parmigiano Reggiano, a drizzle of olive oil, marjoram leaves and the crispy croutons. Season to taste.