Step by step pan-fried gnocchi (with Parmesan and burnt sage butter)

To drink: The richness of the truffles, gnocchi, cheese and butter call for a voluptuous wooded Chardonnay.

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Pan-fried truffled gnocchi with Parmesan and burnt sage butter

Serves: 2

Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 3 large potatoes
• 15ml (1 tbsp) salt
• 5ml (1 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Kalahari truffle, chopped
• cake flour (enough to bring the potato mixture to the right consistency)
• 100g butter
• 4 sage leaves
• juice of 1 lemon wedge
• 30g (3 tbsp) butter
• Parmesan shavings, to serve

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

2

Prick the potatoes, then place in the oven until soft and cooked through. Remove and scoop out all the potato flesh, discarding the skin. Push the potato flesh through a fine mesh sieve or potato ricer to ensure all lumps are removed.

3

Add the salt, pepper and truffle to the potato and mix well. Then add enough flour into the mix so that it’s not sticky and you can form a ball.

4

Roll the mixture into a log shape on a lightly floured work surface then, with a sharp knife, cut on the diagonal into bite-size portions. Place the gnocchi pieces in a pot of boiling water until they float, then drain.

5

Melt the 100g butter in a pan and add the sage leaves. When the butter turns nutty golden, add the lemon juice and set aside for the flavours to infuse.

6

Melt the 30g butter in a hot frying pan. When it has turned a golden brown colour, add the gnocchi and sauté until golden and crispy.

7

Sprinkle with Parmesan, drizzle over the burnt sage butter, top with the crispy sage leaves and serve.

Cook’s tip: If you can’t find Kalahari truffles, substitute with 30ml of truffle oil, drizzling a little extra truffle oil over the dish before serving. Alternatively, you can substitute the Kalahari truffle with 30g of dried porcini mushrooms – first soak the mushrooms in boiling water until reconstituted, then fry in warm oil just to seal. Chop up the mushrooms and add to the potato mixture.

Step 1: Melt butter in a pan and add sage leaves, when it is golden brown add lemon juice and set aside to infuse.

Step 2: Scoop out potato flesh and push through a fine sieve or potato ricer.

Step 3: Add salt, pepper, truffle and mix well.

Step 4: Add enough cake flour so it’s not sticky and you can form it into a ball.

Step 5: Roll into a log on a lightly floured surface.

Step 6: Cut diagonally into bitesize portions with a sharp knife.

Step 7: Place into a pot of boiling water until they float.

Step 8: Melt 30g of butter on a pan and add the gnocchi pieces.

Step 9: To serve sprinkle with Parmesan and pour over butter, sage and truffle sauce.