Gnocchi, by hand.

This recipe is adapted from that of Giancarlo Caldesi,  in his cookbook Return to Tuscany.

1kg of potatoes (old or floury textured works best of all)

80ml sparkling mineral water

300g flour (can use either 00 flour, or just ordinary plain flour)

1 tsp salt

Peel and chop potatoes into cubes, then boil until completely cooked and tender.  While still hot, pass them through a ricer or mincer to ensure there are no lumps.  Place in a bowl.

Stir in the flour and mineral water to make a soft, pliable dough.  Knead only until dough is a smooth, even texture or the gnocchi may become “heavy” or “tough”.

On a floured surface, divide the dough into pieces about the size of a small fist and roll them into “sausages” about 1-1.5 cm in diameter.   Using a knife, cut sausages into 2 cm lengths.  Then, using a floured fork and your thumb, gently but firmly roll the gnocchi over the tines of the fork.  A small trough should form inside the gnocchi as the dough rolls over the tines, with a “ribbed” effect on the outside, enabling them to better capture the sauce they are served with.  (If you take a look a close look at the accompanying photograph, you can see their finished appearance).

Heat a large saucepan of salted water, and when at rapid boil, add the gnocchi.  They will bob to the surface of the water when they are cooked – about 2-3 minutes.  Drain well and serve with your preferred sauce.

This recipe will serve 4-6, depending on the desired size of servings.

** Uncooked gnocchi can be frozen, by placing in a single layer on a well-floured tray, making sure they do not touch one another.  When completely frozen, shake of excess flour and transfer to a freezer bag or container. **

Nothing beats an egg.

cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by Steven Depolo

Pardon the pun, but it’s true.

The humble egg.  Who would’ve thought that of all the things that I have had to exclude from my diet in the last six months, it is the egg that has had the greatest impact.

For a food lover, understanding that your digestive system is sensitive to some foods can be a big blow.  Seeing a naturopath, and undergoing compatibility testing, in an effort to identify what was causing the discomfort, was quite nerve-wracking.

Please don’t let it be coffee…

Oh no,  please say it’s not pasta…

I remember both thoughts crossing my mind while awaiting the results of the testing, and it was a great relief to discover neither of those things were on the list.  However, discovering that I must avoid all forms of processed sugar (thankfully, chocolate is still permitted!), and eggs, was more impactful than I thought.  For someone who loves to bake, and eat the results, the absence of eggs and sugar can be a real challenge!

After searching the web seeking egg-alternatives, I’ve still yet to find one that really does the job well.  The results are always too heavy, or too distasteful, or just, well, not the same.  So I continue to bake, much less frequently than before, and only when there is occasion to feed a crowd.  Otherwise, the food just sits around taunting me!

When it comes to substituting eggs, the only real success story is using sparkling mineral water as an egg substitute when making home-made pasta or gnocchi.  80ml water = 1 egg.  I have tried this repeatedly now, and while the dough may need a little extra flour in the kneading and cutting phase to reduce stickiness, its consistency when eating is just right.  So much so, that home-made gnocchi continues to be a favourite meal for my 11 year old, especially when we can make it together as a family, or share the making and eating with his aunt and uncle, as we did again just recently.  You can see the mouthwatering results…

After kicking the sugar-habit, cold turkey, six months ago, I find I don’t necessarily miss it as much as I thought.  While I certainly wasn’t a sugar addict, I did have a bit of a sweet tooth, and now notice immediate, negative bodily responses if I unwittingly consume sugar-laced foods.  As I have felt so much better for its absence,  I also did some further reading about the impact of sugar in the diet.  Sarah Wilson’s book I Quit Sugar was something of a revelation, both for myself, and my husband, who never normally engages with that kind of “diet” information.  The impact of sugar is quite frightening, when you consider it thoughtfully.  The only challenge for me amongst Wilson’s well-researched and sensible approach to detoxing is her statement “Eggs and more eggs will help you through the program”.  I agree, they probably would, being the fabulous combination of protein and fats that they are.  However, when eggs are forbidden to you, where do you go then?

Suddenly, I have a whole new appreciation for this small element of my diet, previously considered insignificant and often overlooked.  When I go back to my naturopath next month, this will be one of the few things I am hoping will be permitted me once more.

Three cheers for the humble egg!