for the gnocchi you need 1 KG (2.2 LB) POTATOES
it is important to use RUSSET or RED potatoes
cook your potatoes in plenty of water
meanwhile prepare the "soffritto" for your sauce
chop 1 stalk of CELERY
1 CARROT
and 1 ONION
I use a food processor to speed things up
pulse for 10-20 seconds or until your veggies are finely "chopped"
on a non stick pan, add 2 TBSP of OLIVE OIL
then on low heat, fry the chopped onion, celery and carrot till soft
stir frequently to prevent the soffritto from burning
now add 75 G (2.6 OZ) TEMPEH, and crumble it with your hands
tempeh crumbles easily and creates a "meaty" texture for the sauce
I prefer crumbled tempeh to tempeh in cubes
mix the soffritto with the tempeh and cook for 2 mins
now add 1/2 CUP of RED WINE
you can replace the wine w. vegetable stock
let the wine evaporate completely
then add 700 G (1.5 LB) TOMATO PASSATA
you can also use canned tomatoes if you prefer a more rustic sauce
add 2 TBSP of SOY SAUCE
and stir again
add 2 PINCHES of SALT
1/3 TSP of ground BLACK PEPPER
and let your sauce simmer on low heat for about 15 mins, stirring occasionally
after 15 mins, it will be denser and more flavourful
set the sauce aside and continue with the gnocchi
the potatoes should be cooked by now - you can test by piercing them with a knife
start peeling them while they're still hot
put a cloth on your left hand, knife on right hand, so that you don't burn yourself
we peel them while hot because if potatoes cool too much they'll get hard to mash
I find the peeling very soothing and relaxing :-)
now mash the potatoes - use a potato ricer, potato masher or a fork
I usually start with a potato masher
then I switch to a fork
we want the mash to be as smooth as possible
without big chunks of potatoes
now add 2 TSP of SALT
and 300 G (2 CUPS) all-purpose FLOUR
you might need to add more flour, depending on your type of potatoes
knead with your hands until the flour is incorporated
continue working with the dough on a worktop
DO NOT over-knead - this will activate the gluten network in the flour, making the gnocchi gummy and chewy
add more flour if needed
at this point, the dough should be soft but not sticky
now divide the dough into 4 pieces,
and roll each piece into long ropes,
add extra flour if the gnocchi-rope is sticky
it should be around 2 cm thick (about ¾ inch),
then cut the ropes into 1.5 cm (½ inch) bites
you can use a knife or a dough scraper to cut the gnocchi
you now have 3 options to shape the gnocchi. You can leave them like this; smooth and looking like small cute pillows
or roll them on the backside of a fork applying gentle pressure with your thumb,
this creates small ridges that will make the gnocchi look very pretty. The ridges will also grab more sauce
this is my favourite shaping method
3rd option is to use a gnocchi board
it's definitely faster to do gnocchi with a gnocchi board than with a fork
to cook the gnocchi, add COARSE SALT to a big pot of boiling water
add the gnocchi into the boiling water one by one
they are quite delicate, so you should only cook 1-2 portions at a time, without overcrowding the pot
when they float to the top, they are done. It should take about 1 minute
since gnocchi are very soft, they might lose their shape
best to scoop them out of the boiling water with a slotted spoon and add directly to the pan with the sauce
stir gently until the gnocchi are covered in sauce
I also add 1 CUP of pasta water to my sauce for creaminess
sometimes I add a TBSP of VEGAN BUTTER but that is optional
it's deliciously creamy
the gnocchi with tempeh bolognese is ready
serve on a plate with a sprig of fresh basil
Buon appetito
thank you for watching <3