Recipe from Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi
I cut way back on the sage butter and chose to serve these with roasted tomatoes. I felt the sweetness from the tomato brought it all into balance. These were so delicious, I am definitely making them again soon. And the boys, who don’t like eggplant, really enjoyed it this way.
1 Eggplant
4 TB Olive Oil
2 TB Butter
For the Gnocchi
1 oz Pine Nuts
8 ops Ricotta Cheese
3 TB All Purpose Flour
1 oz Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
1 TB chopped Parsley
1 TB chopped Basil
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Salt
Freshly ground Black Pepper
Sage Butter
1/4 lb unsalted Butter
20 Sage Leaves
A pinch of Salt
1/2 TB Lemon Juice (optional)
Place the pine nuts in a small frying pan and dry-roast over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring them occasionally so they color evenly. Transfer to a large bowl and add the ricotta, egg yolks, flour, grated Parmesan, herbs, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir well, then cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Trim the top and bottom off the eggplant and cut lengthways into 1/2” thick slices; you will need 8 to 12 slices, depending on how many gnocchi you make. Lay slices on a baking tray lined with parchment and brush liberally with olive oil. Place in the oven and roast for 10 to 15 minutes until tender and golden. To shape gnocchi, wet hands and scoop 2 to 3 TB portions. Roll in to 8 or 12 elongated barrel shapes. Meanwhile, bring plenty of salted water to the boil in a large saucepan. Carefully add a few dumplings to the Simm erring water - don’t cook them all at once or they will stick to each other. After about 2 minutes they should rise to the surface. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a tea towel to drain. Pat dry and brush with melted butter. Once the gnocchi have cooled, take a strip of eggplant and wrap it around the center of each one, like a belt. Trim the eggplant if needed, so that the seam is at the bottom. Place the gnocchi. In a greased ovenproof dish and set aside. You can cover them with plastic wrap and keep them in the refrigerate for a day at this stage. When ready to serve, bake in a 350 F for 8 to 10 minutes, until they are heated through. Meanwhile, quickly make the sage butter sauce, as it needs to coincide with the gnocchi. Place a small saucepan over a moderate heat. Add the butter and allow it to simmer for a few min Utes until it turns a light golden-brown color and has a nutty smell. Remove from the heat and carefully add the sage, salt and lemon juice, if using. Return to the heat for a few seconds to cook the sage lightly. Divide the gnocchi between serving plates and drizzle hot butter on top with a few sage leaves and serve immediately.