Gnocchi is weird. Would it be fair to say it's the marmite of the pasta world? Wait, or the potato world? Is it pasta or potato for crying out loud? The strange texture would be disappointing if you were just expecting potato. Or pasta.
Like I said, marmite. I'm in the 'love' crew when it comes to gnocchi. I think...
I first came across it just as I was finishing university and one of my flatmates whipped it up one evening. I then spent the summer months periodically trying gnocchi out, unable to decide whether I liked it or not. But, I guess, I kept going back to it so I probably did.
And now I've gone back to it again, encouraged by my new BBC GoodFood cookbook. This recipe just jumped out at me straight away. There's goats' cheese, butternut squash, garlic, spinach... It looked like a colour and taste sensation. So let's go!
For gnocchi with butternut squash and goats' cheese, you will need (serves 2):
250g gnocchi
225g butternut squash
100g goats' cheese
1 garlic clove
100g spinach
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Heat your oven to 180c.
Chop up your butternut squash and goats' cheese into cubes and peel your garlic clove.
Set the cheese aside and put the butternut squash and garlic clove into a roasting tin. Drizzle with the olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything well. Roast for approx 20 minutes.
With five minutes to go, cook your gnocchi according to packet instructions. When there are a few seconds left until the gnocchi is cooked, throw in the spinach and then drain them both together.
Tip the gnocchi and spinach into the roasting tin and mix everything together well, mashing the garlic.
Serve topped with the the goats' cheese.
Gnocchi forever.
Kate's learning corner
As predicted, this is an absolute colour and taste sensation! However, it is very rich so don't be afraid to go for a smaller-than-usual portion.
Wikipedia says gnocchi is potato... so there you go.
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