Divine Dining : Bizerca Bistro's butternut gnocchi with fresh tomato coulis

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“I had to fight off my carnivorous husband from taking too many bites from my dish and ended up literally licking my plate clean” – Kay Horn, Cape Town

Bizerca Bistro’s butternut gnocchi with fresh tomato coulis

Serves 6

A little effort

Great value

Bizerca Bistro’s butternut gnocchi with fresh tomato coulis

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking: 40 minutes

·         Butternut 1 kg, halved and seeded

·         Butter 30 g

·         Flour 240 g

·         Free-range egg yolks 2

·         Salt and cayenne pepper, to taste

·         Parmesan 100 g, grated

·         Pumpkin seed and rocket salad carrot balls, cherry tomatoes and asparagus cuts, to garnish

·         For the tomato coulis:

·         Butter 150 g

·         Very ripe plum tomatoes 6, quartered

·         Garlic 2 cloves

·         Red chilli 1, seeded

·         Salt, to taste

·         Rosemary 1 sprig

Butternut 1 kg, halved and seeded

1. Preheat the oven to 200⁰C. Roast the butternut for 30 minutes, then remove the pulp – you will need 750g of pulp. In a saucepan, melt the butter then add the butternut and cook until dry, stirring frequently. Stir in the flour, then cook for another 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Remove the saucepan from the stove, then stir in the egg yolks and season. Divide into small pieces then shape as desired. Cook in a saucepan of hot water until the gnocchi floats to the surface. Refresh in iced water.
3. To serve, divide the tomato coulis between 6 bowls, then top with the gnocchi and Parmesan. Scatter over the carrot balls, steamed asparagus and cherry tomatoes. Serve with a pumpkin seed and rocket salad.
4. To make to tomato coulis, heat the butter until it turns a hazelnut color, then add the tomato, garlic, chilli, salt and rosemary. Simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cools slightly. Blend, then pass through a fine chinois.

Meat-free

Wine: Jordan Nine Yards Chardonnay

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