Potato & Baccala Gnocchi
The secret is the choice of potatoes.
Use a variety like Russet. Avoid waxy potatoes with too much moisture. Try not to incorporate too much water or flour into the gnocchi and be careful not to overboil.
Extra virgin olive oil
250g baby squid, cleaned Burnt squid broth1
Salt
Salted water
350g gnocchi
2
30g grated pecorino cheese Squid ink sauce3
Oven-baked tomatoes4
Dried Sicilian oregano
Garlic flower
Few slices of pecorino cheese Squid ink powder
5
Heat a pan and add some extra virgin olive oil. Add the baby squid and saute for a few seconds. Take out the squid and add the squid broth. Let the broth reduce and add salt to season.
Boil salted water in another pot and add the gnocchi. When the gnocchi start to float, transfer them to the pot with the squid broth and cook till the sauce is reduced. To finish, add the sauteed squid and a bit of extra virgin olive oil to cook for another minute, then remove from the stove. Add the grated pecorino cheese and mix till the sauce is smooth.
Now spread some warm squid ink sauce on a plate. Place the cooked gnocchi on the sauce, finish with some oven-baked tomato, dried oregano and garnish with the garlic flower and a few thin slices of pecorino cheese. Sprinkle some squid ink powder to add extra colour and taste.
1 Burnt Squid Broth
200g regular or baby squid
30ml white wine
400ml water
Heat a pan and cook the squid till it releases its juices. Let the juices evaporate until the squid sticks to the pan and is slightly charred. Deglaze with white wine and let the wine evaporate. Cover the squid with water and simmer for 40 minutes before straining with a muslin cloth. Set the broth aside.
2 Gnocchi
200g baccala (salted cod) 1 litre milk
1 clove garlic
2 bay leaves
250g potato
70g all-purpose flour
40g egg (one is enough)
Remove the salt from the baccala by submerging in water for three days, changing the water every day. Heat the milk and add the garlic clove, bay leaves and baccala. When it starts to boil, turn down the heat to let it simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the milk and remove the garlic and bay leaves. Blend the baccala.
In the meantime, steam the whole potato with skin for about 45 minutes until fully cooked. Let the potato cool down and peel it before it becomes completely cold. Mash the potato and mix with the blended baccala, flour and egg until the dough is compact and smooth.
Divide the dough into portions and roll into small rod shapes. Cut the gnocchi into your desired size and, if you wish, use a fork to create grooves in the dough.
3 Squid Ink Sauce
3 or 4 tomatoes (Roma or San Marzano)
Olive oil
1 clove garlic
4g squid ink
100ml burnt squid broth
Blanch and peel the tomatoes, cut them in half and remove all the juice and seeds. Cut the tomatoes into smaller chunks. Heat a pan, add some olive oil and fry the garlic. Before the garlic turns brown, add the tomato chunks and cook them for a few minutes. Add the squid ink mixed with 100ml of squid stock and cook for another few minutes.
Blend everything and strain into a container. Keep warm for later use.
4 Oven-baked Tomatoes 4 tomatoes
Thyme
Lemon zest
Orange zest
Salt
Pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Blanch and peel the tomatoes, then cut each into four wedges. Using a sharp paring knife, run the blade under each pocket of seeds – along the inner flesh of the tomato to remove the seeds and gel. Place the tomatoes on a tray covered with baking paper. Sprinkle thyme, lemon zest, orange zest, salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil. Bake the tomato at 120 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes or until the tomatoes are semi-dried. Set aside.
5 Squid Ink Powder
100ml water
2g squid ink
20g corn starch
Heat the water mixed with the squid ink. When it starts to boil, add the corn starch and mix with a whisk till thick and smooth. Spread the mixture on a silicon mat or baking paper and dry overnight at 80 degrees Celsius in the oven. When it is fully dry, blend into a powder and set aside until needed.