Toasted Cauliflower Gnocchi
These gnocchi are made with just cauliflower, all-purpose flour, and a handful of spices, but they are delicious in their simplicity! Coat them with a little olive oil and toast them in a skillet to get the perfect golden brown, pillowy soft gnocchi.
Servings: 3
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 5 c florets)
- ⅔ c all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp oregano, dried
- ½ tsp basil, dried
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preparing the Gnocchi
- Cut the cauliflower into florets (I give extensive step-by-step instructions inside this blog post).
- Bring 3 to 4 inches of water to a boil. Place your cauliflower in a steamer basket and position the basket above the boiling water. Cover and let steam for about 12 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender and just begins to fall apart when tested with a fork. Remove the cauliflower from the basket and let cool on a paper towel or cloth for about 10 minutes.
- Remove the excess water from the cauliflower using a cheesecloth or towel. Transfer the strained cauliflower to a food processor. Blend the cauliflower until it is broken down. Add in the spices and blend again. Your dough will resemble mashed potatoes.
- Transfer the dough to a small bowl. Add ⅔c flour and mix until incorporated. Note, the dough will be sticky. Resist the urge to add more flour!
- Coat a work surface with flour to prevent the dough from sticking to the surface. Form the dough into a large ball and then cut it into quarters. Take one quarter and roll it out into a rope about ¾" in diameter. Then cut the rope into bite size pieces, about ¾" in length. Place the gnocchi on a lined baking sheet. Repeat this process for the remaining 3 portions.
Cooking the Gnocchi
- Bring a medium sauce pan of water to a boil. Gently place the gnocchi in water using a slotted spoon. Let cook several minutes until the gnocchi float to the surface of the water.
- Remove the gnocchi using the slotted spoon and transfer to a small bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat to prevent sticking.
- Heat a large skillet to medium high heat and transfer the gnocchi to the skillet. Make sure the gnocchi are on a single layer so that they brown. Leave the gnocchi on one side for about 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown. Rotate the gnocchi to the other side and cook another 4 to 5 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve with your favorite sauce or garnish simply with Parmesan cheese.