Yam Gnocchi with Basil Pesto & Mushrooms (vegan + gluten-free)
For a delicious and comforting meal that wows, try making this gluten-free and vegan yam gnocchi with basil pesto and balsamic mushrooms.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
Pesto
- 1 large bunch of basil, thick stalks removed
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
- 3 tablespoon toasted cashew or walnut pieces
- Salt and pepper
Balsamic Mushrooms
- 2 cups small brown mushrooms, diced
- 3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper
Gnocchi
- 1 large russet potato, peeled and diced (into 1½cm cubes - about 2 heaped cups)
- 1 medium yam, peeled and diced (into 1½cm cubes - about 2 heaped cups)
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- Salt and pepper
- 1½ cups your favourite gluten-free flour blend (I use Bob's Red Mill and recommend using one that has potato starch or tapioca flour in)
To Serve
- 2 cups mixed baby leafy greens
Instructions
- Prepare all ingredients as instructed above.
For the pesto
- Pulse all ingredients except half the olive oil in a blender to form a loose mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Scoop the pesto out into a glass jar and gently stir in the rest of the oil until almost combined. Set aside.
For the mushrooms
- Heat the mushrooms with the vinegar, adding salt and pepper to taste in a small frying pan until bubbling gently.
- Cook the mixture on low for 15-20 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and the vinegar no longer tastes acidic. Set aside.
For the gnocchi
- Place the potato and yam cubes into a saucepan of hot water and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes until both vegetables are soft.
- Drain and place the yam and potato back in the saucepan.
- Using a potato ricer, mash until smooth and the two colours are totally mixed, adding the garlic, salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer to a large bowl and add the flour, kneading the mixture into a dough. (It’s tempting to add less flour as the mixture can look a little dry – don’t do it!)
- Using your hands, divide the dough into four pieces.
- On a floured surface, roll them into sausages about 2cm wide with your hands and cut each into 1.5cm-wide slices.
- Roll each slice gently to make it more of a tube shape, and if you wish gently roll a fork along each piece for texture.
- To cook, add all the gnocchi to a large pan of boiling water. When they float to the surface, cook for another 30 seconds and then drain. (You may need to do this in two batches.)
- Spread gnocchi out on a large plate to prevent sticking until ready for use.
To serve
- Serve the warm gnocchi scattered over a bed of baby leaves.
- Add the balsamic mushrooms and drizzle pesto over the plate. Enjoy!