Walking around the isles of a gourmet store is one of my favourite things to do in the late mornings. It is literally like being on holiday in your own head! The variety of exotic ingredients from all over, takes my mind on a magic carpet ride! I’ve always loved dabbling with interesting ingredients and this week was no different.

I found purple potatoes in the grocery store and I knew just what to do. This is something I’ve made before and it is something that silky, sinful dreams are made of! The purple potatoes are made into these gorgeously soft and tender gnocchi. You could of course use regular potatoes for this. The sauce is this magical mix of the perfect gorgonzola, a dash of lemon juice and a lovely hit of thyme. Gorgonzola is my favourite type of blue cheese. I love experimenting with it. A bed of this sauce is the perfect welcome for the freshly boiled, pretty little lilac gnocchi. A plate of this and a glass of wine and I’m in heaven.

Ingredients

Gnocchi Dough

225g Purple potatoes / Regular potatoes

1 1/2 tbsp Butter

1/2 cup All Purpose flour

1/2 Egg

Salt to taste

Sauce

1/2 Cup Cream

30g Gorgonzola

1tbsp Lemon Juice

1 tsp lemon zest

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

1/2 Pear ( sliced)

A Handful of Walnuts

1/2 tbsp Butter

Fresh Thyme

Method

Gnocchi

Boil the potatoes in salted water. This should take about 15 – 20 mins or so. Drain and peel. Mash the potatoes and add in butter. Add in the egg, the flour and the salt. Knead all of this together. A soft dough will form.

Roll out small portions of the dough. Cut the pieces to about 2cm. Create the classic indentations either using a garganelli board or a fork. If using the Garganelli board, place the piece on it horizontally. using a finger, press and let it roll over and turn. The indentations should be made.

Take a pot of water, add in salt and olive oil and bring it to a boil. Put the gnocchi inside and boil. They will be ready when they float on top. This usually takes about 5 mins. Once done remove.

Sauce

For the sauce, add the cream to a pan. Bring it to a boil and let it start to thicken. To this, add the gorgonzola and let it melt inside. Add in the lemon juice, lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.

In a separate pan, boil the slices of pears for about 3 mins till they just start to soften. Take one or two spoons of this water and put it in the sauce. Mix well.

Toast the walnuts.

In a pasta bowl, place a bed of the sauce at the bottom. Put the pieces of boiled pears. Also put in the gnocchi and toasted walnuts. Finish off with some thyme, some freshly cracked pepper and some lemon zest! Pair with a glass or more of your favourite Reisling!