Gnocchetti with Lamb Ragu

Taste of Harmony for 2020 is fast approaching and once again I have been asked to be an ambassador for this incredible initiative to celebrate cultural diversity through food.  I will always stand behind the notion of experiencing food from other cultures and keeping the recipes from your own culture alive. Food is such a big part of who we are, creates memories and keeps us connected to our past.  There is no better way to communicate with someone than with food. In this world where we have different opinions on politics, religion and all kinds of issues there is one thing we can do that always gives pleasure; cook and eat. Get onto Taste of Harmony’s website and see how you can take part by organising an event or simply sharing your food traditions with others.

Taste of Harmony’s initiative is to share food from your country of origin, I wanted to share a recipe that comes from my heritage, something that really sums up ‘who I am’.  And for me, that’s a rich tomato ragu with gnocchi. Now, I cook all kinds of ragu with all different cuts of meat which I have already shared, but I have a soft spot for this one. It’s kind of a bolognese, but using lamb mince so it’s a little sweeter. You can make normal sized gnocchi, but I love these little ‘gnocchetti’ (which basically translates to ‘little gnocchi’)  because you can pop them in your mouth with a spoon. I actually really dislike gnocchi you need to bite into, which can taste a bit gummy. These provide the perfect meat to gnocchi ratio as you eat as the mince ragu clings to the baby gnocchi on the spoon.

Homemade gnocchi are a world away from store-bought. If you’ve never eaten homemade before you’re in for a treat. Like little pillows, they just melt in your mouth as you close your eyes and transported to heaven. Yes, they really are that good.  And no, they are not difficult to make. You just need to trust your instincts, and follow some basic tips:

1. Use starchy potatoes, old ones that have been sitting around for a while are best (Desiree or Royal Blue are good)
2. Boil with skins on (you are trying to avoid moisture getting in) until very tender.
3. Invest in a ricer. This is an inexpensive device that crushes potatoes while keeping them nice and fluffy (also good for fluffy mashed potatoes). You can buy from most kitchenware stores, here’s the link to one on Amazon.
4. Mash while still warm and leave to cool. The steam will evaporate and the potatoes will be nice and dry.
5. Don’t be tempted to add too much flour. The less flour the better the gnocchi will be (the ones you’ve eaten that taste like bullets have too much flour in them).
6. Cook in batches, don’t cook too many at once or they will stick together. They only take minutes to cook so this is easy, scoop out the first batch when they float, transfer to a bowl, then add the second batch into the same water.

As with all my best recipes, everything here can be made in advance. That is another integral component of Italian cooking that I feel important to share. Some people who read my cookbooks mention that some of the recipes seem complex or long, especially the slow-cooked ragus and handmade pasta. But they’re not. You need to approach them like an Italian would. The sauce is one job, the gnocchetti are another. They can be made on the same or different days. This is the kind of meal I would call a throw together meal because I would have already made the gnocchetti and they would be in the freezer. I would then make the sauce and cook the gnocchetti to go with it from frozen. I could even have already made the sauce and it would also be in the freezer waiting. How? Make a double batch, one to eat tonight, then another for the night you can’t be bothered making this from scratch.

I guess if there is something I would like to pass on that I feel is integral to my heritage it is that notion of constantly thinking about how to make the next meal not just more delicious, but easier too. That skill that all Italian grandmothers seem to have in always having the where-with-all to cook for a crowd at a moment’s notice. Nonna never spent as many hours slaving in the kitchen as you think, she just knew how to cook efficiently, and was always prepared.

Making pasta and gnocchi may seem time-consuming if you make the entire dish in one day, but I urge you to make them anyway, just aim to complete the dish over different timeframes. That way it doesn’t seem overwhelming, and you may find the process therapeutic rather than time-consuming, I know I do.

Gnocchetti with Lamb Ragu

Ingredients

GNOCCHETTI

1kg starchy potatoes

350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

 

LAMB RAGU

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 celery stick, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

3 tbsp olive oil

600g lamb mince

salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp dried oregano

2 bay leaves

1 small sprig fresh rosemary

2 x 400g tins crushed tomatoes

 

Method

To make the gnocchetti:

Boil the potatoes, skins on, in a pot of water until tender. Drain.

While still warm, peel potatoes and sieve through a ricer (if you don’t own a ricer, push through a sieve). Spread out on a clean surface and allow to cool.

Sprinkle the flour evenly over the potatoes and mix with your hands to combine and form a dough. You may need to dust a little flour as you do this to stop the dough sticking to the bench. Your dough should be soft but not tacky. If it is still sticky add a little extra flour, but don’t be tempted to add too much.

Dust the bench with a little flour and take a small chunk of dough and roll into a 1 cm wide log. Cut into thumb-nail size pieces and set aside on a tray lined with baking paper. Make sure they are not touching each other.

If you are not cooking gnocchetti straight away, place in the freezer until rock hard, then transfer into snap-lock bags. They can be cooked from frozen.

To make the lamb ragu:

Heat the olive oil in a heavy based pot with a lid and cook the onion, carrot and celery over medium heat until soft, around 8 minutes, stirring every now and then. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for a further minute or two, or until fragrant. If the mixture appears dry at any time, splash in a little extra olive oil.

Add the lamb mince, season well with salt and pepper and sprinkle in the oregano. Turn heat up to high and brown the meat all over while stirring.

Add the bay leaves, rosemary and tinned tomatoes and stir to combine. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours. Check every now and then and give the mixture a stir, if it appears dry, splash in a little water to loosen.

Remove the lid, check for seasoning and keep simmering while you cook the gnocchi.

Tip: the sauce can now be frozen if desired. Allow to cool completely, pour into a sealed container and freeze. Thaw in the fridge or microwave before re-heating on the stove-top before serving.

To cook the gnocchetti:

Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add a generous pinch of salt. Cook the gnocchetti in batches (don’t drop them all in at once or they will stick together), remove with a slotted spoon (don’t drain in a colander as they will mush together) and transfer to a clean bowl. Carefully toss through as much ragu as you like, and either serve in individual bowls or leave in one large bowl for everyone to help themselves. Fresh bread is the Italian staple for wiping the plate clean.

 

Extract from Liliana’s book: Food for Sharing, Italian Style