When renowned Vancouver-based chef Dale MacKay moved back home to Saskatoon in 2013, he was determined that his new restaurant, Ayden, would showcase the best of the prairies. Mission accomplished. The handsome heritage building has a welcoming vibe, and food is served family style on harvest tables that have a view of the open kitchen. But though the menu reads comfort, the look and taste of each dish is a testament to the chef’s refined technical standards. Here, “farm to table” means that certain favoured growers work pretty much exclusively with MacKay, supplying his (now five) restaurants, while the cocktail program subtly but consistently pushes the local envelope.
265 3rd Avenue, Saskatoon
(306) 954-2590 aydenkitchenandbar.com
Ayden’s Ricotta Gnocchi With Tomato-Butter Sauce
Ayden’s Ricotta Gnocchi With Tomato-Butter Sauce
Ingredients
Gnocchi
- 11/4 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 cup parmesan cheese finely grated
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 egg yolks
Tomato-Butter Sauce
- 1 sweet red pepper halved and seeded
- 11/2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 sprig basil
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 cup butter cubed, at room temperature
Garnish
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil divided
- 1 bunch asparagus trimmed and cut into 11/2-inch pieces
- 15 cherry tomatoes
- 15 black olives pitted
- 1 cup baby arugula
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese shaved
Instructions
Gnocchi
- In a bowl, stir together ricotta, Parmesan, flour and egg yolks, ensuring all the flour is incorporated, and form into a ball.
- Turn out onto lightly floured surface, and divide into quarters. Working with 1 quarter at a time and with floured hands, roll dough into a rope that’s about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick; cut into pieces that are ¾ inch (2 cm) long. Set aside on floured baking sheet.
- In large pot of boiling salted water, cook gnocchi, in batches, until floating and no longer doughy in centre, about 2 to 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to oiled tray to prevent sticking, and cover.
Tomato-Butter Sauce
- Tomato-butter sauce: In blender, combine cherry tomatoes and bell pepper, and purée until smooth. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into medium saucepan, pressing it through with bottom of spoon. Add basil and thyme, and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
- Discard basil and thyme, and continue cooking sauce over medium until it resembles a light paste. Remove from heat and stir in butter a few pieces at a time, stirring constantly until all the butter is incorporated and sauce has thickened. Cover to keep warm.
Garnish
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the oil over medium-high heat; cook gnocchi until golden brown all over. Transfer to large plate and cover to keep warm.
- Heat remaining oil in skillet over medium-high heat; cook asparagus for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, olives and arugula, and remove from heat, tossing until arugula is wilted.
- Spoon a generous amount of tomato-butter sauce onto a serving plate, and top with gnocchi, asparagus mixture and Parmesan.