Chestnut gnocchi with browned butter and sage

A gluten-free gnocchi recipe that’s simple enough for easy weekday dinners but impressive enough for a dinner party.

Gnocchi are an Italian dish which look like dumplings but are technically a kind of pasta. They are most commonly made with potato, flour and egg, but there are many different types, which often vary by region. Chestnut gnocchi are generally found in the northern parts of Italy, where chestnuts are extremely popular.

Chestnut puree comes in a few different varieties – be sure to pick the kind which is made from just chestnuts and water. If this proves hard to find, whizz up some cooked whole chestnuts in a blender with a very small amount of water until a smooth paste is formed.

This dish is a hearty and wholesome vegetarian option, which can be adapted to be dairy-free by forgoing the butter and heating a few tbsp extra virgin olive oil with the sage (and leaving out the parmesan). You might think that it’s a bit of a faff making homemade gnocchi but the dough mixes up in no time at all, and the taste is more than worth it!

To get the “professional” ridged look, you’ll need a special device called a gnocchi board (affiliate link), but I’ve never had any problems using the back of a fork. After a few goes you’ll get into a rhythm and be done in no time.

Chestnut gnocchi with browned butter and sage

By The Happy Coeliac Published: September 11, 2015

Yield: 4 Servings

A hearty, filling, vegetarian dish with Autumnal flavours and packed with taste.

Ingredients

400 g chestnut puree
275 g plain gluten-free flour
2 eggs
100 g butter
handful sage leaves
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
parmesan cheese for grating, optional

Instructions

Combine the chestnut puree and gluten-free flour in a bowl. Add the eggs and mix well with your hands until a dough forms. Keep kneading the dough until it is smooth and pliable. If the dough is a little crumbly, add a small amount of water (no more than 1 tbsp) until it comes together.
Divide the dough into four pieces, take the first piece and roll it into a long sausage, about 2cm/<1 inch thick.
With a knife, cut the sausage into small pieces, no longer than 2-3cm/just over an inch. Repeat for the rest of the dough.
Roll the back of a large fork over each gnocchi to get the distinctive ridged pattern. This will help the butter sauce stick. You can also use a special gnocchi board if you have one, but a fork will do the job.
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. As you are waiting for this, prepare the browned butter sauce. Melt the butter on a medium heat. The butter will start to sizzle and foam – this is the water evaporating. Add the chopped sage and keep an eye on the butter as it slowly starts to brown. Keep the heat low, because you don’t want the butter to burn.
Once the water has reached a rolling boil, lower the gnocchi a few at a time into the water. As they cook, they will rise to the surface of the water. This will take about 4 minutes. You will need to keeping watching the butter while the gnocchi are cooking.
Once the butter has browned and the gnocchi have cooked, drain the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and toss them into the butter. Sauté for a minute or two and just before serving mix in 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar.
Optional: serve with a little grated parmesan.