This week Chef Sarah will be taking us to Italy to show us how to make potato gnocchi and ratatouille. We start off by making our gnocchi dough with mashed cooked potatoes, flour, and eggs. Have some fun rolling out the dough and creating the gnocchi with a fork! Ratatouille is a great dish to pair with the gnocchi because it is filled with so many different vegetables! Chef Sarah used eggplant, zucchini, red pepper, and onions, but you can use any vegetables that you have on hand. Sauté the veggies, add crushed tomatoes, fresh herbs, and you will have a delicious ratatouille to add on top of your homemade gnocchi.
Homemade Pasta and Gnocchi with Rustic Ratatouille
Servings 4-6 (per noodle recipe)
Cooking Equipment Needed:
Colander
Bowls
Large saucepan
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Plastic wrap
Pasta machine or rolling pin
Ingredients:
For the Ratatouille:
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 red bell pepper, diced
Tomatoes, canned, 28oz
2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded fresh basil leaves
For the fresh pasta:
2 cups flour
3 eggs
Olive oil, ½ tsp
Salt, ¼ tsp
Water, 1 tbsp
For the gnocchi:
1 pound Russet potatoes
1 cup flour
1 egg (optional)
Salt
Preparation:
For the Ratatouille:
- In a colander, salt the eggplant and place over a bowl or in the sink. This will help the eggplant release some water. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
- Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add olive oil. When it shimmers, add the onion and saute until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and continue to saute until fragrant, another 2 minutes.
- Add eggplant and saute until the eggplant begins to soften, about 8 minutes. Add peppers and zucchini and continue cooking until the vegetables are bright and soft, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, thyme, oregano and salt and let the vegetable mixture simmer until sauce thickens, about 8 minutes.
- Serve over pasta
For Fresh Pasta:
*The pasta dough needs time to rest. Option to have chef instructors prepare the dough ahead of time.
- Make a mound with the flour on a clean work surface or in a bowl. Create a well in the middle of the mound and crack the egg into it. Slowly begin to incorporate the flour, gently working around the edges of the well with a fork. Once the dough resembles coarse sand, turn it out onto a clean work surface and knead the dough until it becomes soft and elastic. May need to add a little water to prevent the dough from becoming too dry. Cover with plastic wrap and allow dough to rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Working with ½ of the dough at a time, roll the dough out using a pasta machine. Working from the widest setting to the smallest until you get your desired thickness. Cut pasta into desired shape.
- Cook in salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes and serve immediately.
For the Gnocchi:
-
- Boil the potatoes until tender. Drain and let cool. Peel the potatoes.
- Mash potatoes until pureed
- Mix potato mixture with salt, egg, and enough flour to make a smooth, soft, and slightly sticky dough. Knead the dough and form it into a ball and place on a floured surface.
- Break off a small handful of the dough and roll into a “rope” shape about 1⁄2 inch thick
- Cut the rope of dough into 1 inch pieces
- Optional: gently roll each piece of dough on a fork to make ridges in the gnocchi.
- Cook gnocchi in gently boiling, salted water. Once they are done they will rise to the surface of the water. Transfer to a bowel immediately and top with sauce.
