Garlic-Basil Gnocchi

Instructions

1. Prep the Potatoes

   3 min hands-on60 min waiting

   • Preheat oven to 200°C (392°F).
   • Coat whole potatoes with olive oil and salt on a baking tray.
   • Poke holes in potatoes with a fork.
   • Bake for 1 hour or until tender.

2. Prepare Tomato Sauce Base

   5 min hands-on30 min waiting

   • Finely slice the garlic.
   • Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-low heat.
   • Cook garlic for 2 minutes until fragrant.
   • Dice tomatoes and add to the pan.
   • Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes until thickened.

3. Incorporate Tofu and Spice

   3 min hands-on15 min waiting

   • Crumble tofu into the reduced tomato mixture.
   • Add hot pepper sauce and stir well.
   • Puree sauce with a stick blender until smooth.
   • Simmer on low heat while preparing gnocchi.

4. Make Gnocchi Dough

   15 min hands-on

   • Cut cooled roasted potatoes in half and scoop out flesh.
   • Mash potatoes with a ricer or sieve.
   • Mix with whole-grain flour and salt to form a soft dough.

5. Shape the Gnocchi

   10 min hands-on

   • Lightly flour work surface.
   • Divide dough into two portions and roll into ropes.
   • Cut ropes into ½-inch pieces and roll on fork for ridges.

6. Cook the Gnocchi

   3 min hands-on2 min waiting

   • Boil salted water in a large pot.
   • Drop gnocchi into water without overcrowding.
   • Cook until they float, then for 30 seconds more.
   • Transfer with a slotted spoon and reserve some cooking water.

7. Finish the Sauce

   2 min hands-on

   • Stir miso paste into the simmering sauce.
   • Zest lemon into sauce and add juice from half a lemon.
   • Season with salt and black pepper.
   • Add reserved pasta water to loosen sauce.

8. Combine Gnocchi and Sauce

   2 min hands-on

   • Toss cooked gnocchi in tomato-miso sauce gently.

9. Plate and Garnish

   2 min hands-on

   • Divide gnocchi among plates.
   • Drizzle with olive oil, garnish with basil, and add black pepper.
   • Serve immediately.
   • Cooking tips:
   • For extra silky gnocchi, avoid overworking the dough, as this can make it dense.
   • If you don't have a potato ricer or sieve, use a fork to mash the potatoes as smoothly as possible.
   • Adjust the spice level by adding more or less hot pepper sauce to the tomato base.
   • To enhance the umami flavor, you can add a small splash of soy sauce or nutritional yeast to the tomato-miso sauce.