I'm pleased to introduce you to the newest member of Big Bold Health's FoodLab, Pasqualina Raspaolo. Lina is a good friend, a skilled chef, a cookbook author, and the founder of Culinary Genes.

She's also the mastermind behind this savory recipe for gnocchi using our Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat Super Nutrition Flour. This one’s a bit more involved, and requires a bit more patience and skill, but it’s time well spent.

Thanks Lina!

Chef Lina's Gnocchi

Makes 4 servings. Prep time is 1 hour and 20 minutes, plus 1 hour and 30 minutes of resting time. Cooking time is 2 to 3 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

2 medium sweet potatoes (250 to 300 g), boiled and mashed*
2 cups (300 g) Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat Super Nutrition Flour
3 Tbsp organic cornstarch (22 g)
2 eggs, room temperature, beaten
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste

METHOD

Boil potatoes until they are soft, about 40 to 50 minutes.** Once cooked, drain and mash while still hot using a potato rice masher, or peel and mash with a fork. Set aside.

Sift together the flour and cornstarch, and mix well. Place 1-¼ cups of flour mixture on a wooden work surface and make a large well in the center. Add mashed potatoes, eggs, olive oil, salt, and pepper to the center of the well and begin mixing with your hands. Once the dough begins to form, knead until you have a homogenous and smooth round dough. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Prepare a large baking sheet lined with a clean kitchen towel and dust with cornmeal so that the gnocchi don’t stick together or to the towel.

Using a knife or bench scraper, cut portions of the dough, one at a time, forming long thin logs and cut each log into ½-inch pieces. Roll each piece on a lightly flowered gnocchi board, or on the prongs of a fork to create the gnocchi. Lightly flour gnocchi before placing them on the prepared baking sheet.

Once you finish rolling the gnocchi, cover with another kitchen towel and set aside to rest for 1 hour.

Bring a large pot of water and salt to boil and gently add the gnocchi using a spider strainer in order not to burn yourself. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. The gnocchi will begin to float at the top when done.

Remove using the spider strainer, drain well, and place in a bowl to be mixed with your favorite sauce.

NOTES
* Or substitute with 300g of regular potatoes (about 3 small potatoes).
** Or bake at 350° F for 30 to 40 minutes, then peel and mash with a fork.

To store gnocchi in the freezer, first place the tray in the freezer for an hour, then transfer the frozen gnocchi to an airtight container and store for up to 1 month.

Some of Lina's favorite sauce suggestions?

• Traditional simple tomato sauce and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Grana Padano and pepper
• Butter and sage
• Classic pesto
• Bolognese sauce
• Quattro formaggi (4 cheeses)
• Butternut squash and sausage

'Til next time.

Jeff