Ricotta and Black Olive Gnocchi with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes and Basil
Homemade gnocchi is pretty straightforward to make when you use ricotta instead of potatoes. It also has a lovely lighter texture. This is a dish of simple but hugely satisfying flavours. Be generous with the fresh basil when serving.
Serves 4
ingredients
500 grams ricotta
1 free-range egg
1¼ cups all-purpose gluten-free flour, plus extra for dusting (I used Edmonds)
½ cup diced black olives
¾ cup finely grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
sea salt and black pepper
Blistered cherry tomatoes
500 grams cherry tomatoes
4 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and black pepper
To serve
fresh basil leaves
Method
Place the ricotta in a large bowl along with the egg, half the flour, olives, parmesan and a generous seasoning of salt and cracked black pepper. Use a wooden spoon to stir together.
Add the remaining flour and use your hands to bring the dough together. It will be quite sticky.
Put the dough on a board well dusted with additional flour. Form a disc shape and cut into quarters. Cut each piece in half so that you have 8 pieces of dough, roughly even in size.
Re-dust the board as necessary and roll each piece into a log approximately 2cm in width. Cut at 3cm intervals along the log. Repeat with rest of the dough. Lay raw gnocchi out on a large board or plates lined with baking paper.
Blistered cherry tomatoes: Preheat the oven 180°C. Place tomatoes (leave whole) in an ovenproof dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season well. Bake for 45 minutes, turning once during cooking.
To cook: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Drop 12–15 pieces of gnocchi into the water. Allow to cook for 2 minutes once they’ve floated to the surface. Repeat in batches until all gnocchi is cooked.
Toss the cooked gnocchi with the roasted tomatoes. Use the back of a spoon to burst some of the tomatoes to create a rustic sauce. Drizzle with more olive oil if additional moisture is needed.
Divide between bowls and garnish with fresh basil leaves and extra grated parmesan. Serve immediately.
Cooks Note: Freeze uncooked gnocchi for up to a month until ready to use. Freeze on a plate or baking sheet so they don’t stick together. Once frozen, the gnocchi can be stored in a zip-lock bag or container. I cook them straight from frozen in boiling water. Sauté cooked gnocchi if they’ve been previously frozen, as they can be sticky.
