Ricotta & Basil Gnocchi in Chicken & Vegetable Broth

 

Chicken and Vegetable Broth

Makes 2 lt

1 chicken carcass

1 each onion, carrot and celery stalk, roughly chopped

1 garlic head, halved horizontally

stalks from 1 bunch basil (reserve the leaves)

stalks from 8 mushrooms

8 mushrooms caps, sliced

1 cup peas, podded

1 cup broad beans, podded and peeled

leaves of basil, shredded

freshly grated parmesan

 

Place the carcass in a medium heavy saucepan, cover with 2-3 litres cold water. Gently bring to the boil, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface. When the broth is clear add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and stalks. Simmer, without ever allowing to boil for 2 hours maximum. Strain well, skim off excess fat from the surface, but leave a little for flavour. When ready to serve taste for seasoning and adjust, add the mushrooms, peas, broad beans and gnocchi to heat through. Garnish with the basil leaves and freshly grated parmesan.

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Gnocchi with Ricotta and Basil

(makes 35 pieces)

500 g low fat ricotta, well drained

1 cup basil, cooked, sliced very finely

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 cup plain flour

1 egg, lightly beaten

salt and pepper and freshly grated nutmeg to taste

 

Mix the ricotta with the basil in a large bowl.  Add the 1/2 cup parmesan, 1/2 cup flour, egg and seasoning and mix thoroughly with a fork. Take a small amount of mixture, about the size of a walnut and roll into uniform shapes. Roll in the extra flour. Meanwhile, bring to the boil about 5 litres of salted water.  When all the mixture has been shaped (you will get around 35 pieces) drop them in batches of 8 into the water.  When the gnocchi rise to the surface skim them off and put them onto a greased oven tray. Cover tightly with plastic until ready to serve.