Mango Hill Test Kitchen 4-Semolina and pesto gnocchi

These gnocchi are easy to cook.they are rounds of semolina paste which are mixed with pesto and butter and garnished with grated cheese. Try not to bake too long as the gnocchi  will then be too crunchy. A home made tomato sauce will enhance the flavour. This recipe was inspired from a favorite book of mine. Tried and tested and they taste wonderful.  It is also easy to make as is also easy on the pocket with a few ingredients.

Serves 4 to 6

You will need:

1. 3 cups milk
2. 1 cup semolina
3. 5 tablespoons pesto sauce .the original recipe calls for 3 tablespoons but hey the more pesto the tastier it is. You can use store bought or make your own. We made our own and there is nothing like making fresh pesto. In a mixie simply blend a packet of basil leaves, grated gruyere or parmesan, 6-7walnuts( pine nuts hard to get in india) with olive oil, salt and pepper and 1 clove of garlic for extra zing . store in a airtight glass bottle in refrigerator.  Will keep best for 2 to 3 weeks.
4. 50gm butter
5. 1 cup freshly grated gruyere or parmesan if u can get a good one. In our any good quality hard cheese will do.(try MH cheese)
6. 2 eggs beaten
7. Salt and pepper to taste.
8. For the sauce
9. 1 onion finely diced
10. 3 cloves garlic finely diced
11. 4 tablespoons tomato ketchup
12. 2 tablespoons fresh cream
13. 1 tablespoon of pesto sauce
14. Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

• Heat the milk in a large saucepan. When its about to boil , sprinkle in the semolina. Keep stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and very thick. Simmer for 2 mins on a very low heat and immediately remove from oven.
• Don't let it cool and immediately stir in pesto with half the butter and cheese.add the eggs , salt and pepper to taste. 
• Spoon out in a shallow plate and to a depth of 1 cm and level the surface.(make a rectangular block with even thickness on all sides)
• Chill this for at least half and hour
• Take a round cookie cutter and cut out as many rounds as possible. If necessary make a block again to cut out the gnocchi rounds.
• Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
• Place the semolina rounds on a greased tray. We used a lightly greased aluminium foil on a tray for extra protection. Arrange the rounds and brush it with remaining butter.(as shown above)
• Bake for 30 to 40 mins depending on the heating capacity of your oven. Check after 30mins.

THE SAUCE:

• Heat a little butter in the pan.add 2 drops of neutral tasting oil to prevent butter from browning.
• Add the onion and garlic and fry for sometime.
• Add the tomato ketchup, pesto sauce and salt and pepper to taste.
• Add 1/3rd cup water and bring to boil .
• Reduce the sauce to a thick consistency after adding the cream.
• SERVE the gnocchi with the tomato sauce and / or a salad of your choice

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