Chef Michael Smith shares some of the stunning vegetable-forward dishes from his ‘culinary farm’ at The Inn at Bay Fortune in his new cookbook, including this truly unique gnocchi recipe. “Gnocchi are easily made deliciously chewy dumplings that are part mashed potato and part pasta. They’re particularly tasty when simply browned and crisped in butter,” writes Smith. “Orach is an ancient vegetable with a savoury mineral flavour, like spinach or chard. Its microgreens and tender leaves pair beautifully with earthy potatoes.”
Michael Smith's Gnocchi With Spinach Sauce
Michael Smith's recipe for potato gnocchi crisped in butter and served with a bright spinach-nutmeg sauce and orach salad.
Ingredients
Nutmeg Spinach Sauce
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp sea salt
- pinch freshly ground black pepper
- 8-9 cups baby spinach 280 g
Gnocchi
- 2 lbs russet or Yukon Gold potatoes about 4, peeled and quartered
- 2 cups all-purpose flour divided
- 2 eggs whisked
- 1 tsp sea salt
- pinch freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tbsp butter
Orach Tangle
- 1 handful fresh orach leaves or baby spinach
- 1 handful orach sprouts or other savoury snappy fresh microgreens (such as broccoli, kale, radish, turnip or cress)
Instructions
Nutmeg Spinach Sauce
- In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; cook onion, stirring frequently, until softened but not brown, 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add ½ cup water and spinach and cook, stirring constantly, until bright green and wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Scrape into high-speed blender and carefully purée until smooth. (See note.) Return sauce to pot and reserve at room temperature. Bring to a simmer just before serving.
Gnocchi
- Place potatoes in large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes; rinse the pot. Fill pot with hot water, and bring to a simmer.
- Press potatoes through a ricer or food mill into large bowl and let cool enough to handle. Add 1½ cups of the flour, eggs, salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon, vigorously stir the mixture into a rough dough.
- Add the remaining ½ cup flour to small bowl; sprinkle some onto work surface and lightly flour your hands. Turn out dough and lightly sprinkle with some of the flour. Knead until a smooth dough forms, 1 minute. Divide into 4 equal portions. Working with 1 piece of dough, dust with flour and roll into 1-inch-thick long rope. Repeat with remaining dough. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces to make about 32 gnocchi.
- Bring the simmering water to a boil over medium-high heat. Working quickly, transfer gnocchi to boiling water. Cook, stirring gently, until all the gnocchi are floating and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Melt butter in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Using skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to skillet, draining thoroughly. Cook gnocchi without stirring until one side is browned and crispy.
- Serve on a pool of warm spinach sauce with a tangle of fresh orach leaves and orach sprouts.
Notes
Hot liquids are dangerous – they can violently erupt. For safety, drape a kitchen towel over the blender, start slowly and then gradually increase the speed.
