Celeriac gnocchi with tenderstem broccoli

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Giovedi gnocchi, that’s what is recurrent on our Italian tables on Thursday: Gnocchi! There are so many different traditional recipes, some with some without eggs, potato gnocchi, semolina and water gnocchi also called cavatelli. The recipe I want to share with you today is made out of celeriac, such an underused root vegetable, but delicious and with a great aniseed flavour that can take even a punching salsaverde.

The secret of a soft gnocco, is never to weigh your flour, oh yes, you read this right, and try to use a weak flour because all you are trying to do is use it as a form of glue, more than an ingredient.

Over the years, I have used many different vegetables and most starchy ones, will substitute potatoes easily, like my sweded gnocchi recipe available here
This recipe is eggless and therefore also suitable for those of you following a vegan diet, but also made out of leftovers, something that I am very fond of.

Method

Peel your celeriac and chop it into small cubes, this will allow the vegetable to cook quicker.
You can decide whether to roast, boil or pan-fry your root vegetable. I have boiled mine until soft enough to squash with a fork. For extra flavour cook in vegetable stock instead of water.
Once the celeriac is cooked, drain well and allow to cool down to a warm temperature.
Transfer to a working surface and squash using a fork or a ricer and add your flour until you reach a soft dough, pliable but not sticky.
Divide your dough into 4 parts, and roll each into long sausages of about a finger thick. Cut these into squares of about 2.5cm.
Bring a saucepan of salted water to simmer and blanch your gnocchi in batches. These will need to come to the top and cook for about one minute. You don’t want to fully cook these as they will be panfried after. Save the cooking water.
Place the gnocchi on an oiled tray to avoid sticking and prepare your vegetables.
In a frying pan add your olive oil and crushed garlic, skin on, and let this sizzle few minutes to season the oil. Remove the garlic and place your broccoli, making sure the stems are trimmed. Let cook for a few minutes and then place your gnocchi.
Let them toast until golden for 2 minutes per side, add some of your cooking water, season to taste, and cover with a lid to steam the broccoli.
Add your rocket and let this wilt. Serve the gnocchi by adding your pine nuts, if using, and grated parmesan. If you like a little spice, chilly oil will do the trick.