Like many of her six-year-old girlfriends, Lulu loves the color pink. And since she adores gnocchi, I created this beetroot gnocchi recipe for her. The bright fuchsia dumplings against the delicate white in the sauce are simply stunning and oh so appetizing!
Serves 4
Ingredients:
– 100g beetroot, peeled and diced
– 1 tbsp olive oil
– 450g potatoes
– 60g finely grated Parmesan cheese
– 1 large egg
– 53g white rice flour
– 55g sweet rice flour
– Sea salt and pepper
For the Parmesan and parsley sauce
– 30g pine nuts
– 356ml whole or 2% milk
– 90g finely grated parmesan cheese
– 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley or basil
– Olive oil, to drizzle
Methods:
1. Steam the beet until tender. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor and purée with the olive oil until smooth; set aside.
2. Boil the potatoes in a large pot of water until tender. Cool slightly, then peel; you want 400g potatoes once they are peeled. Pass them through a ricer with the beet purée; stir to combine completely.
3. Stir in the Parmesan, egg, and flours until smooth. Season with sea salt and pepper. Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll into 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick logs.
4. Cut the logs into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) pieces, and make a small imprint on each gnocchi with a fork or gnocchi board; set aside.
5. To prepare the sauce: In a pan, toast the pine nuts for a few minutes over low to medium heat, until lightly golden; set aside.
6. Combine the milk and Parmesan cheese in a pot. Whisk together and heat. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens. Keep warm on the side over a low flame.
7. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in a first batch of gnocchi— about 12, but do not overcrowd the pot— and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the gnocchi rise to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving dish. Cover with plastic film while you continue to cook. Repeat with the other gnocchi, in as many batches as you need.
8. When ready to serve, spoon some sauce into the bottom of four shallow plates. Add the gnocchi and spoon a little more sauce over them. Sprinkle with parsley or basil. Garnish with the pine nuts, sprinkle with extra cheese if desired, and drizzle with olive oil. Serve immediately.
RECIPE FROM MY FRENCH FAMILY TABLE BY BEATRICE PELTRE
In her signature style of blending classically French dishes with exotic, modern twists, food stylist and photographer Beatrice Peltre of La Tartine Gourmade offers up recipes for each meal of the day plus the traditional French goûter (afternoon snack). Peltre ups the ante on what gluten-free foods can be—incredibly tasty, beautiful, and nourishing. Whole grains, colorful produce, spices, and creative use of ingredients abound. Peltre’s bright photography, impeccable styling, and sweet storytelling bring the book to life. All these elements come together to create an inspiring collection of recipes for feeding a family and feeding them well.
Beatrice Peltre Beatrice Peltre
From My French Family Table by Beatrice Peltre © 2016 by Beatrice Peltre. Reprinted by arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc. Boulder, CO. www.roostbooks.com.