Briony May Williams' Italian gnocchi bake

Briony's Italian gnocchi bake

Roasted Red Pepper Gnocchi Bake

Serves 8

Ingredients

Gnocchi

  • 1kg Maris Piper potatoes (or other floury potato)

  • 1 medium egg, beaten

  • 250g plain flour

  • 1 tsp salt

Red Pepper Sauce

  • 4 red peppers

  • 6 carrots

  • 2 red onions

  • 2 celery sticks

  • 1 vegetable stock cube

  • 4 tbsp olive oil

Optional

  • 500g diced chicken breast

  • 2 tsp smoked paprika

  • 1 tbsp olive oil

To finish

  • 1 mozzarella ball, shredded

Method

  1. Make the sauce. Oven on to 180C fan then deseed the peppers and chop into quarters. Chop four of the carrots into chunks. Place the chopped veg on an oiled oven tray and roast for 30 minutes until soft.

  2. Make the gnocchi. Wash and dry the potatoes then pierce all over with a fork. In two batches, microwave them on high for 5-7 minutes until you can push a knife through easily. Set aside to cool.

  3. Peel the potatoes (don't throw away the peel, pop it in the air fryer with a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt until crispy and enjoy as a mid-recipe snack!). Mash the peeled potatoes until as smooth as possible (put through a ricer if you have one) then mix in a bowl with the beaten egg and flour until it forms a soft dough.

  4. Tip the dough onto a floured surface and with oiled hands, briefly knead then divide into eight equal pieces. Roll each piece into a thin sausage shape then slice into 2cm chunks. Add the gnocchi in batches to a pan of salted, boiling water for 2-3 minutes until they float to the top. Remove using a slotted spoon and place in a large oven proof dish. Repeat until all the gnocchi is cooked.

  5. If including chicken, toss the diced breast in the oil and paprika then air fry on 180C for 10 minutes until cooked through or place in the oven for 15-20 minutes on 180C fan.

  6. Make the soffritto. In a large pan, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil then dice the onions, two carrots and celery and add to the pan. Cook on a low heat for 15-20 minutes until softened then remove from the heat.

  7. Peel the skin off the roasted red peppers then place the flesh in the pan with the soffritto, roasted carrots and 300ml boiling water mixed with the vegetable stock cube. Mix everything together then blend until mostly smooth.

  8. Add the chicken and gnocchi to the pan with the sauce then mix until everything is coated. Pour into the ovenproof dish and top with the shredded mozzarella. Place in the oven on 180C fan for 20 minutes.