Heirloom Tomato, Basil, and Brown Butter Gnocchi with Burrata:
Serves ~2
Gnocchi :
2 starchy potatoes should weigh approximately 300 g
70 g 00 flour
1 egg yolk
50 g parmesan, grated
pinch of salt and pepper
Toppings:
50 g butter
Squeeze of lemon juice
8-10 small heirloom tomatoes, cut into halves and quarters
4 stalks asparagus, cut into 3, 2-3 cm pieces (optional)
12 basil leaves
1 ball burrata
Basil for topping
Flaky salt for topping
Instructions:
Heat your oven to 410 degrees F.
Place the potatoes in the oven for about an hour or until they’re completely soft. You can check this with a sharp knife; if it goes in easily, they’re ready.
Once the potatoes are out of the oven, cut them in half and scrape the insides into a sieve over a bowl.
Push the potatoes through the sieve while still warm.
Add in the flour, egg yolk, parmesan, salt, and pepper.
Quickly mix until a soft dough forms, chopping through the dough with a spatula or bench scraper, ensuring the egg yolk doesn’t cook while mixing.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Using half of the dough at a time, roll it into a long log around 2 cm wide.
Cut the dough into small pieces of gnocchi about 1.5 cm wide. (~1.5x2 cm gnocchi)
Place the gnocchi into the pot of boiling water. Allow them to cook for 1 minute after they float to the top of the water. Place onto an oiled sheet pan, uncovered, and into the fridge to firm.
Prepare the toppings: Remove your burrata from the fridge as it needs to come to room temperature for optimal flavor.
Place the butter into a saucepan. Allow it to melt and then bubble, whisking occasionally. You will notice the butter foam, and once the foam settles, this is when the butter begins turning brown. Cook until you see a nutty caramel color, then turn the heat off and add the lemon juice and whisk it in. This will stop the brown butter cooking process.
Cut your tomatoes into 1/4’s.
If you’re using asparagus, you can blanch and refresh it to cook it and lock in the color. Do this by placing the asparagus into a pot of lightly salted boiling water for about 2 minutes, or until they taste cooked but still have a bite. Immediately place the boiled asparagus into a bowl of ice water. When the asparagus feels cooled down, remove it from the water and onto a plate lined with paper towels to dry.
Finish the gnocchi: Heat a pan with a bit of olive oil. Remove the gnocchi from the fridge and sear it in the pan until golden brown on both sides, about 1-2 minutes per side. Add the cooked gnocchi to the brown butter along with the tomatoes, asparagus, and basil.
Transfer to a plate and top with burrata, basil, and flaky salt. Enjoy!
