Gnocchi topped with chunky lentil sauce

Serving: 4

Ingredients

  • Lentil sauce:

  • 30 ml (2 tbsp) butter
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 small carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
  • 100 ml brown lentils, rinse well
  • 1 g Italian chopped tomatoes
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp) fresh basil, snipped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Gnocchi

  • 2 large potatoes, cooked
  • 90 ml cake flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • Salt, to taste
  • Parmesan, freshly grated, to serve

Directions

  1. For the sauce, melt the butter and sauté the onion for a few seconds, add the pepper, carrot and celery and continue to cook for a few more minutes..
  2. Add the lentils, tomato and basil, season and continue to cook while stirring for a minute or two. Add a little water if the sauce is getting very thick. Cover and cook until the lentils are soft.
  3. For the gnocchi, add the flour and salt as well as the egg and with your hands work the flour and egg into a soft yet manageable dough. On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough until smooth dusting with flour if it gets very sticky. Try not to overwork the dough.
  4. Divide the dough into portions and roll each portion in a long rope, cut into 2cm slices and gently roll each dough piece against the back of a fork to make ridges, then arrange in a single layer on a floured work surface.
  5. Cook the gnocchi in plenty of salted boiling water until most have floated to the top about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon gently remove the gnocchi into a serving bowl and toss through the sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.
  6. Freeze raw gnocchi on baking sheets until firm, transfer to freezer bags and freeze, up to 1 month. Yes, 1 month. Like fine mature red wine, so is our magnifique gnocchi. Thaw at room temperature on parchment-lined sheets, 30 minutes, before boiling. Lentils add essential vitamins, minerals and fiber to your diet, and they can provide protein and sustenance that can replace meat in a meal.