Italians often use gnocchi where we would use potatoes. These days it is widely available in our supermarkets. The key to this recipe is to use good lean mince. Simply Better have a very good round steak mince that I usually use.
Whenever I make this recipe I double up the quantities for the ragu. It freezes well and is handy to have to fill a baked potato for a very tasty meal at short notice. If you don’t want to use the mascarpone, try tearing a ball of buffalo mozzarella into chunks and using that instead.
The meatloaf is also from Italy where it is a regularly served family meal. You can use the same recipe for meatballs and pan fry them and add the sauce. The egg binds the meatloaf together well and the breadcrumbs bulk it up to give a nice firm texture that cuts easily. If you don’t like the idea of the beans, leave them out and stir the sauce into some pasta or just serve with some jacket potatoes.
Happy cooking.
Neven’s Irish Food Trails is on RTÉ One on Wednesdays at 7:30pm.
Gnocchi Bolognese with spinach
Serves four
2 tbsp Donegal Rapeseed oil1 onion, finely chopped450g (1lb) lean minced beef700g jar passata (Italian sieved tomatoes)Pinch of sugar1 tbsp chopped fresh Italian herbs450g (1lb) fresh spinach1 garlic clove, crushed 500g packet fresh gnocchi100g (4oz) mascarpone cheese50g (2oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheeseSea salt and freshly ground black pepperCiabatta bread, to serve1. Heat half the oil in a large pan and tip in the onion and sauté for two to three minutes until softened but not coloured. Stir in the minced beef and cook for another few minutes until lightly browned, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon. Stir in the passata and add the sugar and herbs, then season to taste and simmer for 15-20 minutes until slightly reduced and thickened.
2. Meanwhile, wash the spinach and remove any large stalks, then dry well – a salad spinner works brilliantly if you have one. Heat a large heavy-based pan and add fistfuls of the spinach, adding another as one wilts down. Cook for one minute and then tip into a colander and gently press out all the excess moisture.
3. Heat the rest of the oil in the pan and sauté the garlic for 30 seconds. Then add the drained spinach and season to taste. Toss until heated through and then tip into a colander to drain.
4. When the bolognese sauce is almost ready, cook the gnocchi in a large pan of salted water for five minutes or according to packet instructions. Mix the mascarpone with the parmesan and season with pepper. Squeeze out any remaining excess moisture from the spinach. Stir the gnocchi and spinach into the bolognese sauce and tip into a large ovenproof dish. Add dollops of the mascarpone mixture and grill until bubbling and golden. Serve at once, straight to the table with a separate basket of ciabatta bread.
Italian meatloaf
Serves four to six
4 tbsp Donegal Rapeseed oil2 onions, finely chopped3 celery sticks, peeled and finely chopped2 tsp paprika675g (1 1/2lb) lean minced beef1 large egg100g (4oz) fresh white breadcrumbs1 tsp chopped fresh thyme, plus little extra to garnish2 garlic cloves, finely chopped1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, plus little extra to garnish2 x 400g (14oz) cans chopped tomatoes6 rindless streaky bacon rashersSea salt and freshly ground black pepper400g (14oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsedSteamed broccoli, to serve1. Preheat the oven to 230oF (450oF/gas mark eight). Heat half the oil in a frying pan and sauté two-thirds of the onions and celery for five minutes until softened. Stir in the paprika and cook for another minute, stirring continuously.
2. Tip the onion mixture into a bowl and add the minced beef, egg, breadcrumbs and thyme. Using your hands, mix well to combine and then mould into a rugby ball shape. Place in a small roasting tin and put in the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 200oC (400oF/gas mark six) and roast for 45 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the rest of the oil in a frying pan and sauté the remaining onions and celery with garlic and rosemary for about five minutes until softened but not coloured. Season generously. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes until slightly reduced and thickened. Fold in the cannellini beans.
4. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and drain off the excess fat, then spoon around the tomato sauce. Lay the slices of bacon over the top of the meatloaf and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes until the bacon is golden brown and the cannellini beans are bubbling. Serve straight to the table, garnished with a little more rosemary and thyme and with a bowl of steamed broccoli. Allow everyone to help themselves.
Italians often use gnocchi where we would use potatoes. These days it is widely available in our supermarkets. The key to this recipe is to use good lean mince. Simply Better have a very good round steak mince that I usually use.
Whenever I make this recipe I double up the quantities for the ragu. It freezes well and is handy to have to fill a baked potato for a very tasty meal at short notice. If you don’t want to use the mascarpone, try tearing a ball of buffalo mozzarella into chunks and using that instead.
The meatloaf is also from Italy where it is a regularly served family meal. You can use the same recipe for meatballs and pan fry them and add the sauce. The egg binds the meatloaf together well and the breadcrumbs bulk it up to give a nice firm texture that cuts easily. If you don’t like the idea of the beans, leave them out and stir the sauce into some pasta or just serve with some jacket potatoes.
Happy cooking.
Neven’s Irish Food Trails is on RTÉ One on Wednesdays at 7:30pm.
Gnocchi Bolognese with spinach
Serves four
2 tbsp Donegal Rapeseed oil1 onion, finely chopped450g (1lb) lean minced beef700g jar passata (Italian sieved tomatoes)Pinch of sugar1 tbsp chopped fresh Italian herbs450g (1lb) fresh spinach1 garlic clove, crushed 500g packet fresh gnocchi100g (4oz) mascarpone cheese50g (2oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheeseSea salt and freshly ground black pepperCiabatta bread, to serve1. Heat half the oil in a large pan and tip in the onion and sauté for two to three minutes until softened but not coloured. Stir in the minced beef and cook for another few minutes until lightly browned, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon. Stir in the passata and add the sugar and herbs, then season to taste and simmer for 15-20 minutes until slightly reduced and thickened.
2. Meanwhile, wash the spinach and remove any large stalks, then dry well – a salad spinner works brilliantly if you have one. Heat a large heavy-based pan and add fistfuls of the spinach, adding another as one wilts down. Cook for one minute and then tip into a colander and gently press out all the excess moisture.
3. Heat the rest of the oil in the pan and sauté the garlic for 30 seconds. Then add the drained spinach and season to taste. Toss until heated through and then tip into a colander to drain.
4. When the bolognese sauce is almost ready, cook the gnocchi in a large pan of salted water for five minutes or according to packet instructions. Mix the mascarpone with the parmesan and season with pepper. Squeeze out any remaining excess moisture from the spinach. Stir the gnocchi and spinach into the bolognese sauce and tip into a large ovenproof dish. Add dollops of the mascarpone mixture and grill until bubbling and golden. Serve at once, straight to the table with a separate basket of ciabatta bread.
Italian meatloaf
Serves four to six
4 tbsp Donegal Rapeseed oil2 onions, finely chopped3 celery sticks, peeled and finely chopped2 tsp paprika675g (1 1/2lb) lean minced beef1 large egg100g (4oz) fresh white breadcrumbs1 tsp chopped fresh thyme, plus little extra to garnish2 garlic cloves, finely chopped1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, plus little extra to garnish2 x 400g (14oz) cans chopped tomatoes6 rindless streaky bacon rashersSea salt and freshly ground black pepper400g (14oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsedSteamed broccoli, to serve1. Preheat the oven to 230oF (450oF/gas mark eight). Heat half the oil in a frying pan and sauté two-thirds of the onions and celery for five minutes until softened. Stir in the paprika and cook for another minute, stirring continuously.
2. Tip the onion mixture into a bowl and add the minced beef, egg, breadcrumbs and thyme. Using your hands, mix well to combine and then mould into a rugby ball shape. Place in a small roasting tin and put in the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 200oC (400oF/gas mark six) and roast for 45 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the rest of the oil in a frying pan and sauté the remaining onions and celery with garlic and rosemary for about five minutes until softened but not coloured. Season generously. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes until slightly reduced and thickened. Fold in the cannellini beans.
4. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and drain off the excess fat, then spoon around the tomato sauce. Lay the slices of bacon over the top of the meatloaf and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes until the bacon is golden brown and the cannellini beans are bubbling. Serve straight to the table, garnished with a little more rosemary and thyme and with a bowl of steamed broccoli. Allow everyone to help themselves.
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