Italian seafood gnocchi

Gnocchi are a classic in the Italian cuisine. Made with potatoes and flour, these little pillows are just so delicious. The are often served with butter and sage and meat sauces. I have found that they go well with seafood too and they make a perfect dish ideal for entertaining.

• Prep Time : 40 minutes
• Cook Time : 45 minutes

Ingredients

• floury potatoes – 1Kg – 2.20 pounds
• flour – 280 g
• egg yolk – 1
• salt and pepper – to taste
• clams – 500 g
• king prawns – 16
• white wine – 1/2 glass
• olive oil
• parsley – a small bunch
• tomato sauce – 300 ml
• garlic cloves – 2
• basil leaves

Instructions

Put the clams in a bowl with cold water for an hour so that they release any sand they might retain.

Wash the potatoes without peeling them; put them in a pot with salted water and cook them until soft. Whilst they are still warm, peel and mash them and put them on a well-floured worktop.

Wait for the potatoes to cool down then add the salt and the flour and knead until the mixture is firm but soft at the same time. Add the egg yolk and continue to knead until the dough is compact and without lumps.

Divide the dough into strands with a thickness of 2 centimeters then with a knife cut your gnocchi. Make little balls by rolling the little gnocchi pillows in the palm of your hands. Then put them over a floury surface.

Drain the clams, rinse them under the tap. In a large saucepan brown the garlic cloves with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add the passata, the chopped parsley and cook for 7-8 minutes.
Add the clams, cover with the lid, add ½ glass of white wine and cook for 3-4 minutes; put the prawns in as well and cook for another couple of minutes. Remove the shells of the clams and peel the prawns but leave some for decoration.

Bring a saucepan of salty water to the boil and cook the gnocchi in boiling water until they rise to the surface.

Add the gnocchi to the pot with the sauce, add 2 tbsp of olive oil and stir them in well for a minute with the sauce over a source of heat.

Decorate the dish with the shelled fish left to one side and with some basil leaves.

Advertisement