DAY 81 : LOVE ME TENDER GNOCCHI...

I sometimes want to do something..
And I keep thinking about it..
But I'm always fighting against myself or time..
But I'm the kind , that if I really want to do something ,more often than not...
I do find a way ...
Never an excuse...

And sometimes, I feel that probably I should just take a few steps back ..
And sit quietly and do some yoga, go for a run..
And just do everything, but what I want to do ...
So then I go with that, and wait for an answer from the universe..

I'm full of questions..
Always..
And like getting answers to my questions...
And if I don't get answers...
Well then.
I wait and ask a few more questions ..
Ha ha ha

And I have been in a very Italian state of mind...
And have been wanting to make Gnocchi since I learnt it at Tante Marie...
But somehow the whole process is a little long...
And so every time I think of making Gnocchi ...I actually shy away from it...

But you know, for me, when in doubt, I either eat chocolate or then cook..
So after procrastinating for really long..
 I finally made it..
Here goes..

INGREDIENTS

Potatoes - 500 gm

Eggs - 3

Flour - 340 gm

Parmesan grated - 200 gm

Bake the potatoes at 200 degrees for about 45 minutes a night before , if you want to make this for lunch the next day..

(Ritu Dalmia says that you should enclose each potato in foil and so I did that)

Leave them to cool...Do not put them in the fridge , they get soggy)

Scoop out the flesh of the cooled potatoes ...

If you do not have a vegetable mill or sieve, mash them thoroughly piece by piece with a fork...

That's what I did...

Then I mixed the eggs , flour, potato flesh and Parmesan together, till it came together like dough..

Do not over mix , or it gets all gooey...

Flour your hands well , divide into tiny portions, that is easy to use , and roll the gnocchi into a sausage..

With a floured knife, cut them into small pieces and shape on a fork..

In a pan of very well salted boiling water, drop in the raw Gnocchi, bit by bit, as soon as it rises to the surface, it is cooked take it out and immerse in chilled water, let the excess water drain, toss in some olive oil and store in the fridge on a clean tea towel...

Ingredients

Butter- 75 gm

Mushrooms - about 400 gm mixed variety

Broccoli - 150 gm

Red and Yellow pepper - 1/2 each sliced

Pepper and salt to taste

A dash of white wine

A sprinkle of Parmesan...

METHOD

First add a blob of butter in a non stick pan...add the Gnocchi, do not stir or toss , till the gnocchi gets a lovely golden brown..

Toss the Gnocchi , so that the other side also gets a bit of colour..

Then place it in a colander to drain..

Add some more butter to the pan, add the mushrooms to it..

When it is all done..

Drain the juices of the mushrooms onto the gnocchi..

To the same pan add a little butter and a dash of wine, add the red and yellow peppers and the broccoli, let it all cook "al-dente"...

Drain this into the gnocchi and the mushrooms...

Now clean the pan add a little water and bring to boil...

Then add a dash of wine and some butter, olive oil and  whisk till a thin emulsion is formed...

Add the gnocchi, mushroom , pepper and broccoli to the pan..

Mix it all together..

Season with salt and pepper and serve piping hot sprinkled with some Parmesan......

Making Gnocchi has a very meditative feeling..
So if you feel like you need to just shut the world out ..
Then make Gnocchi, because you really have to concentrate on each step along the way..
Do not make gnocchi if you are upset or angry, if you are then make bread ..

When you begin the process of making Gnocchi,  its beautiful ,kneading the potato, flour and eggs and Parmesan..
The texture is so soft and delicate...
Its not like making bread , where you have to punch the dough and knead it well..
This is more involved tender process..
Its like the Elvis song"love me tender"
If you are tough with this dough, it just spoils...it gets soggy...
It's like a girls heart, you behave in a heartless manner and you will make her cry ...
You need to be soft and patient and treat the dough with love...

When you cook your gnocchi in a pan with butter..
It looks golden and tastes really wholesome and fluffy..
I love adding wine to food..
So I added a bit of Rose..
Because the flavour is not too intense and not too acidic..
It has the right amount of sweetness and bite...

So here's presenting,"Love Me Tender Gnocchi", fresh, fluffy and very very fussy...
But laced with the most exquisite hint of butter and wine, with mushroom's and peppers 
An ideal dish for someone you really love , over a glass of red and some heartfelt conversation..
only from "Maria's Kitchen"  ...