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Gnocchi Ciciones with Pork & Venison Mince Ragout. Gnocchi varies between different regions and even towns in Italy, with each having its own history, ingredient and style combination just like all the different kinds of pasta we know today. The ingredients can include any of potatoes, eggs, plain flour, or durum wheat flour (semolina). Traditionally, families used what they had available to make it. This recipe is my version of one from a late 1980's Italian cookbook by famed Italian chef and teacher, Lorenza De'Medici. In her book, Lorenza writes that the small thumb-pressed saffron gnocchi in this recipe are known as 'ciciones', a specialty of Sassari, Northern Sardinia. Lorenza also writes that saffron was traditionally collected seasonally for personal use, not sold commercially. Today, saffron is a popular but expensive ingredient the world over because it's scarce and commercial harvesting is very labor-intensive. Certainly, it's mostly imported into New Zealand, not typically grown commercially or in the typical home garden. It's also very expensive and not a pantry staple. If you have saffron, use it, but my take on this recipe uses ordinary pantry alternatives so as to give the gnocchi a lovely yellow color and similar saffron taste. Similarly, tomatoes in New Zealand are expensive and usually uneconomic to use in cooking on a regular basis, so the cheapest tinned is the next best practical and cheapest alternative. If durum wheat flour is unavailable, doesn't fit your grocery budget, or you are short on time, check out ready-made gnocchi available at the supermarket and go with that instead. Note that gnocchi should be handled as little as possible and not over kneaded. It should also be cooked as soon as it's made to help avoid it becoming chewy or doughy when cooked. Gnocchi are very rewarding to make and while practice makes perfect when mastering homemade gnocchi, yours will be perfectly edible regardless! |
For 4 servings:
350 gm durum wheat (semolina) flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
Warm water
1/2 tsp saffron (or 1/4 tsp dried turmeric + 1/2 tsp dried sweet paprika)
1-2 tablespoons pork lard
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 cup parsley including stalks, finely chopped
Good handful fresh of sage, orgenum, or marjoram leaves from your garden, otherwise add 1 tsp dried
2-3 fresh or dried bay leaves
250gm good quality pork mince
250gm good quality venison or beef mince
1 425gm tin plain peeled tomatoes (or use fresh peeled if you have them)
1-2 tablespoons tomato paste or puree (use what you have or add a second tin of tomatoes)
3/4 cup vegetable stock
Salt and pepper
Grated parmesan or pecorino cheese to serve
Method
Meat Sauce
Heat heavy frying pan to medium-high and add the lard (or some olive oil if not using pork lard) with the onion and garlic. Add the mince to the pan, breaking it down as it cooks. When browned, turn the heat to low and add the bay leaves, herbs, chopped parsley, tinned tomatoes, tomato puree or paste, and the vegetable stock to the pan. Simmer on very low stirring occasionally for approximately an hour to thicken while you prepare the gnocchi.
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| Meat Ragout simmering |
Gnocchi
Dissolve the saffron threads in 2 tablespoons of water. If using the turmeric and paprika alternative, dissolve in 2 tablespoons of hot water.
Heap the flour onto a flat kitchen bench or board. Make a well in the center. Add the olive oil and dissolved saffron (or turmeric & paprika). Mix and knead the mixture with your hands, adding as much additional water in small splashes as necessary to form a smooth, firm, dough ball. It should be pliable in your hands, not sticky. Dust with a little plain flour if too sticky.
Cut the dough into 4-6 pieces. With lightly floured hands (plain flour will do), roll each piece into a long sausage about thumb width. Cut each 'sausage' into small pieces a little bigger than your thumb nail and make a little hollow in each piece by pressing with your thumb. Gnocchi should be cooked straight away.
Bring a pot of well-salted water to the boil and drop the gnocchi in to cook for only about 2-3 minutes, stirring gently until they rise.
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| Cut gnocchi pieces with thumb indents |
To serve:
Add approximately 1/2 cup of the gnocchi cooking water to the hot meat ragout and mix through. Remove the gnocchi from the remaining cooking water using a slotted spoon and add straight into the pan with the meat ragout. Mix through and serve on warmed plates (a few seconds in the microwave will do the trick to warm them).
Best hot with grated parmesan or pecorino and ground pepper.