For years I stayed well clear of gnocchi. The few times I had eaten them I found they were heavy, doughy and generally unappetizing. Then one night some time ago while at Hearth I was present with a small plate of them by the chef. The guy was standing right there waiting for comeback so I ate one, and to my amazement it was fantastic. As far as anything I remembered gnocchi to be, these tiny little things were so light and tender and just melted in my mouth. Delicious.
So after researching the gnocchi thing and asking cooks for tips and tricks, I decided to experiment a little.
My first attempt here, were served with a simple roasted tomato sauce.
For my second run it was with a shiitake, sage & Jerez emulsion sauce. Less photogenic but a more interesting combination of flavours.
Over all, I’m still unimpressed with the results. The texture was OK but not as tender and light as I want them to be. On their own they tasted a little of raw flour… So I guess I need to keep tweaking. Or maybe I’ve set the bar too high and gnocchi are only good at Hearth after all.
Wine
A good pairing with the shiitake, sage & Jerez sauce, is a wine that will complement the earthy and smoky flavour of the dish. A Valpolicella Classico Superiore or a good Chianti Classico would do if you have loads of money to through at it or in the $20 – $25 range you’ll do well with a Barbaresco or a Barbera d’Asti.
I’ve only had vegan gnocchi one time but it was so good. You’re awfully brave to try making it from scratch at home. I’m sure with a few more tries you’ll get the results you’re looking for.