Every morning when I am getting ready for work, I clear my mind and focus on what needs to get done for the day. I let my thoughts take me where they need to be, ensuring that part of the process is having a plan of the order I need to get accomplish all my tasks. Of course, I also try and focus on what I need to do for my blog as a lot of thought has to go into creating interesting and exciting dishes. I usually write these down in one of my notebooks and sometimes before I can even make a dish, I see it on TV or on another blog. The morning after I made my avocado cheesecake I had a brainwave to make gnocchi as my last submission for the ZZ2 “More than just guacamole!” Afrikado Blogger Challenge! I went to the shops and bought a few more avocados and waited patiently for them to ripen. They need to be soft with no blemishes and this can be quite a fine balancing act. I was lucky that my avocados ripened just in time and that the one I used for this gnocchi recipe was perfect. This has been my first real success with making gnocchi and this time I trusted my instincts and not someone else’s recipe. You want the avocado to just come together with the flour, without it being too sticky. I also got to use my gnocchi board for the first time and I have to say it is much easier than rolling the gnocchi with a fork. Once I had made the gnocchi I thought about what I would cook to go with them. As my favourite pizza combination is bacon, feta and avocado I decided to make a pancetta and feta topping for my avocado gnocchi. Dave said the taste was really good and I will certainly make these again.
Avocado Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 1 avocado, peeled and pip removed
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
- 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
- 150 g 00 pasta flour, plus extra for dusting
- 100 g pancetta
- 100 g feta, cubed
Method
- Mash the avocado and season generously
- Add the egg and mix in well
- Add the pasta flour and bring together to resemble a soft dough
- Season again and turn out onto a well floured surface
- Divide into four and roll each piece out into a long sausage shape
- Cut into 2 cm pieces and roll over a gnocchi board – you can roll with a fork if you don’t have a board
- Place the gnocchi on a well floured tray and leave in the fridge until you are ready to cook them
- Bring a pot of water to the boil
- Cook the pancetta in a large frying pan and set aside once crisp
- Add a generous amount of salt to the water
- Put the gnocchi into the water and boil for 3 minutes
- Put the gnocchi into the frying pan and add the pancetta and the feta and toss until well mixed
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
What I blogged:
- one year ago – awards
- two years ago – regional and seasonal challenge
- three years ago – baba ghannoush
Disclosure: I will receive a R200 Woolworths shopping voucher for taking part in this challenge. The winning recipe will win a R2000 Woolworths shopping voucher as well as a ZZ2 hamper. This post is in line with my blogging policy.
Whoa! This is SUCH an inventive recipe!!
Thanks Joanne 🙂
did you show us a photo of your gnocchi board? I’m very curious.
I did indeed – click the link here http://tandysinclair.com/in-my-kitchen-july-2013/ And by the way, comment luv did not work for me the other day when I commented on some else’s blog 🙂
Tandy what a fascinating recipe! I’ve never seen it before but I really want to give this a try! 😀
I really wanted to come up with something original for this challenge! Please let me know what you think once you have made it 🙂
I recently bought gnocci from the food lovers market and it tasted horrible. I never made it myself but this recipe seems so easy. Can one use normal flour or must it be pasta flour?
I am sure you can use normal flour, but the ratios might be different. You just want it to come together 🙂
I love avo and bacon together – a very interesting and innovative dish!
thanks Kit, this was really tasty and worth making again 🙂
Wow, Tandy!!! I think this is a winner!! Love it!
Thank you Zirkie – it has had the best response so far from all over the world 🙂
What a beautiful & special avocado genocide. Waw even, Tandy! Another must make! Yummy!
I meant avocado gnocchi!!!!
I am sure you will love them Sophie!
Made these today with gluten free flour! I just added a little bit of xanthan gum to make it work but they turned out really well and surprisingly delicious! The color was beautiful and it was so easy to make!
Thank you so much for letting me know Haley 🙂
n’esce pas amer après cuisson ????
not at all!
Never give a thought of this match, good idea dear.
Thank you 🙂