Recipe: Wild mushroom and potato gnocchi

Sago of wild mushrooms, slow cooked until rich and tender and served with our home-made potato gnocchi.

Serves 4

Gnocchi Ingredients
• 1kg Desiree potatoes, unpeeled
• 1 tsp salt
• 115g (3/4 cup) plain flour
• Plain flour, extra, to dust

Sago Ingredients
• 70g butter, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 250g button mushrooms, quartered
• 250g Swiss brown mushrooms, quartered
• 3 eschalots, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/3 cup pure cream
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

Gnocchi Method
1. Place potatoes in a saucepan of cold water. Cover and bring to boil over high heat.
Reduce to low and simmer for 30 minutes or until soft.

2. Drain and leave the potatoes to cool for about 30 minutes, then peel with a small knife and return potatoes to the pan.
TIP: If they’re still too hot to handle, wear clean rubber gloves.

3. Mash potato until just smooth. Separate mixture into quarters. Press one-quarter of the potato mixture through a sieve into a bowl. Repeat this process in 3 batches. Add salt and pepper to season.

4. Add flour to the potato and mix to form a firm, slightly sticky dough.
TIP: If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour, but only a tablespoon at a time. Too much makes the dough heavy.

5. Cut dough into 4 even portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 2cm-thick log.

6. Use a lightly floured knife to cut logs into 2cm pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Place on a floured tray lined with clean dry tea towel, making sure the gnocchi don’t touch each other.

7. Gently roll the back of a lightly floured fork over the gnocchi, one at a time.
TIP: The ridges help sauce cling to the gnocchi and give them a traditional Italian finish.

8. Bring a large shallow saucepan of water to the boil. Add one-quarter of the gnocchi. When they rise to the surface - after about 2-3 minutes - they’re ready.

9. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a baking tray, making sure there’s a little cooking water still on the tray. This stops them sticking together.

Sago Method:
Heat butter and oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
When butter has melted add mushroom, eschalot and garlic.
Stir for 6 minutes or until mushrooms are golden.

To Serve
Arrange gnocchi and Sago on a plate and serve hot