Potatoes taste better when they’re purple. Not that there’s anything wrong with white, yellow or red spud varieties. However, if you believe the saying, ‘you eat with your eyes’, then purple wins.
Purple Potato & Nettle Gnocchi:
- 1 lb potatoes (About 2)
- 15-20 nettle leaves
- ½ – ¾ cups unbleached white Flour
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ tsp salt
Serves 2. Adapted from here.
Bake the potatoes on 375 F for about 30 min or until soft.
Pick the nettle leaves with gloves and boil them for 30-45 seconds. Immediately move leaves into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Chop them up finely in a blender or food processor, and set aside.
When the potatoes are cool enough to touch, peel off the skins and push them through a potato ricer, or just mash.
Add warm potatoes to a large bowl and mix with salt, nettles and egg yolk.
Add half the flour and stir until it is just mixed. Pour out onto a floured surface. Continue to add more flour little by little, until a soft dough is formed. Only use as much flour as it takes to create a workable dough, even if it’s less than what you measured. To prevent the dough from becoming tough, handle it as little as possible, and do not over-knead.
Divide the dough into 2 sections. One at a time, roll each ball into a long tube shape about 1 inch tall.
Cut the gnocchi into 1 inch pieces. Press each piece into a fork with your thumb, creating grooves and dents that will hold sauce.
Boil the gnocchi in a pot of salted water for 3-5 minutes. They are done when most of them are floating at the top of the water.
Drain and serve with sauce and parmesan cheese.
(I love our fish plates)
- 1 lb potatoes (About 2)
- 15-20 nettle leaves
- ½ - ¾ cups unbleached white Flour
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ tsp salt
- Bake the potatoes on 375 F for about 30 min or until soft. When they cool enough to touch, peel off the skins and push them through a potato ricer, or just mash.
- Add warm potatoes to a large bowl and mix with salt and egg yolk. Add half the flour and stir until it is just mixed.
- Pour out onto a floured surface. Continue to add more flour little by little, until a soft dough is formed. Only use as much flour as it takes to create a workable dough, even if it’s less than what you measured. To prevent the dough from becoming tough, handle it as little as possible, and do not over-knead.
- Divide the dough into 2 sections. One at a time, roll each ball into a long tube shape about 1 inch tall. Cut the gnocchi into 1 inch pieces. Press each piece into a fork with your thumb, creating grooves and dents that will hold sauce.
- Boil the gnocchi in a pot of salted water for 3-5 minutes. They are done when most of them are floating at the top of the water.
- Drain and serve with a tomato sauce and parmesan cheese.
