Time: Prep – 30 mins, Cooking – 20 mins
Serves: 4 people
Ingredients:
For the gnocchi
- 500g floury potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 100g baby spinach
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ¾–1 cup plain flour, plus extra for dusting (Note: the amount of flour needed can vary significantly depending on moisture. Add flour slowly and only use enough flour to form a workable dough)
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
- ⅓ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- 2 generous handfuls baby spinach
- Parmesan to serve
Preparation:
- Cook the potatoes in boiling water until tender. Drain thoroughly, then mash until smooth and leave to cool slightly.
- Wilt the spinach in a pan with a splash of water. Cool, squeeze out as much liquid as possible and chop very finely.
- Combine the potato, spinach, egg, Parmesan and black pepper.
- Add the flour gradually, mixing gently until you have a soft dough. Try not to overwork it.
- Divide the dough into four pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a long rope about 2cm thick.
- Cut into bite-sized pieces. If you’d like to stretch the challenge, gently roll each piece along the back of a fork to create traditional gnocchi ridges.
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a gentle boil. Cook the gnocchi in batches. When they rise to the surface, allow them another minute before removing with a slotted spoon.
- For the sauce, warm the olive oil in a pan and gently cook the garlic. Add the tomatoes and oregano and simmer for 10–15 minutes.
- Stir through the spinach, basil and walnuts, then gently add the cooked gnocchi.
- Serve with a little Parmesan and fresh basil.
Brainfit Bonus
Turn making dinner into a Brainfit challenge using October’s formula while you cook:
LEARN: If you’ve never made gnocchi before, you’re learning a new technique.
MIX IT UP: Change one ingredient. Try rocket instead of spinach, add lemon zest or experiment with a different herb.
STRETCH: Try making the traditional fork ridges, or make the recipe next time without referring to every step.
PRACTISE: Make it again in a few weeks and notice what’s easier the second time.
The goal isn’t perfect gnocchi – It’s giving yourself an opportunity to learn something new.
ENJOY!
We are delighted to know that you care about keeping your brain and memory sharp. If you have a favourite recipe that you would like to share with our Brainfit® Community, please email us the details and we will look to include it in an upcoming newsletter.
