Gnocchi with blue cheese

GNOCCHI is so much fun to make and these little potato dumplings work so well with the piquant creaminess of a soft blue cheese.

If you have no leftover blue cheese then make sauce with whatever you do have – the idea is to utilise what is available.

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2-3)

300g mashed potatoes

75g ‘00’ pasta flour, plus more for dusting

50g soft blue cheese such as Strathdon blue or gorgonzola 2 tsp crème fraiche Splash white wine (a very small one) Salt and pepper

In a bowl, add 50g of the flour to the mashed potatoes and start to work into a dough. When the flour is worked in, pour the rest of the flour on to a work surface.

Place the potato dough on top and start working in the rest of the flour until it starts to resemble a dough that is slightly shiny and one whole piece.

Separate into two or three pieces and roll out into sausage shapes about one inch thick. Chop into little pillows about one inch long and make a small indent in the centre. Place on a lightly floured plate.

Meanwhile, in a small pan, melt the cheese, crème fraiche and white wine. Once melted, bring to a simmer and reduce to a sauce consistency. This may take around five minutes.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Place half the gnocchi into the water and boil until they float to the surface – this takes about 20 to 30 seconds. Cook for a further ten seconds and remove. Do the same with the other half of the gnocchi.

Serve with the cheese sauce on top and a good grinding of fresh black pepper.

If using potatoes which have been mashed without butter and milk, you may need to add some whisked egg to bind.