Home-made potato gnocchi with Tarwin blue cheese + sage cream, asparagus, roasted capsicum + a paprika straw

IngredientsServes 6

• Paprika straws
  1 pound, about 1/2 recipe Puff Pastry
  1 teaspoon Paprika (optional)
  1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Gruyere cheese
  4 tablespoons toasted poppy seeds (optional)
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• Home-made potato gnocchi with Tarwin blue cheese:
• 1 3/4 pounds baking potatoes
• salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 3/4 cup flour, plus more for dusting
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup grated Tarwin blue cheese plus more for sprinkling
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley

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• Sage Cream Sauce:

• 100g (3oz) butter

• 20 sage leaves, whole

• 2 cups heavy cream

• salt and pepper

• 2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
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  2 red capsicums

  18 asparagus spears (3 per dish)

  3 paprika straws

  Salt and pepper

Method:

Paprika straws

1. Prepare the puff pastry.
2. Preheat oven to 190'C (375'F). If using, mix paprika with cheese. Sprinkle mixture on a work surface. Roll puff pastry to a rectangle approximately 10 inches by 13 inches, pressing dough into cheese to adhere. If desired, sprinkle top of dough with poppy seeds. Press gently with rolling pin to adhere.
3. Trim sides with a pastry roller. (You will have a rectangle that is roughly 9 by 12 inches.)
4. Cut the puff pastry into 3/4-inch strips, and twist from one end to the other. Arrange strips, 1 1/2 inches apart, on a Silpat-lined baking sheet. Chill twists on baking sheets until very firm, about 45 minutes.
5. Start roasting capsicum.
6. After 45 minutes bake the cheese straws in middle of oven until golden brown and puffed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer cheese straws to a rack to cool.

          Roasted capsicum

1. Halve each Capsicum. Remove and discard seeds and membrane. Cut each half into 4 slices lengthways. 
2. Place capsicum on prepared trays. Drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper.Toss to coat. 
3. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes or until browned and tender. 
4. Begin cooking the potato gnocchi. 
5. Once Capsicum has been cooked transfer capsicum to a heatproof bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Set aside for 10 minutes. Peel and discard skin from capsicum. Set aside to cool completely.

Home-made potato gnocchi with Tarwin blue cheese:

1. Preheat the oven to 200'C (400'F). Line a baking sheet with foil. Scrub the potatoes; poke all over with a fork. Place on the sheet and bake until fork-tender, about 1 hour. Slice in half lengthwise; let sit on the baking sheet until cool enough to handle.
2. Scoop out the potato flesh with a spoon. Working in batches, press through a ricer into a medium bowl.
3. Measure out 3 cups of potatoes by gently scooping the measuring cup into the bowl. Dump onto a work surface in a thin layer; let cool. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
4. Sprinkle the potatoes with 1/2 tsp. salt and the nutmeg; drizzle with the egg yolks. Dust with 1/2 cup flour. Using a bench scraper, gently fold in the yolks and flour.
5. Dust the dough with 1/4 cup flour. Lift, fold and press with the scraper until most of the flour is mixed in. Press the dough together in a ball; set aside. Scrape the surface clean; dust with flour. Clean off the bench scraper.
6. Fold and knead the dough with your hands on the work surface for just 2 turns.
7. Sprinkle a baking sheet with flour. Quarter the dough. Roll one-quarter of the dough into a long, 3/4-inch-wide rope. Using the bench scraper, cut into 1-inch pieces; place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
8. Cook the gnocchi in gently boiling water until they float to the surface and puff up slightly, about 11/2 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet.
9. Scoop the gnocchi into the skillet using a slotted spoon. Add 1/4 cup cooking water and the cheese. Toss to combine, adding more cooking water if too dry. Sprinkle with more cheese and the parsley
10. Set aside and begin working on the Sage Cream sauce (takes 10 mins)

          Sage Cream Sauce:

1. Melt the butter on a low flame with the sage.
2. Add the cream and cook on a low flame for a further 5 minutes, stirring in half the cheese.
3. Leave for at least a further 5 minutes for the sage flavour to infuse the sauce.
4. Begin Steaming the Asparagus. (takes 5-6 minutes)

        Steamed asparagus:

1. Put the asparagus spears into a collander over a large pan of fast-boiling water, place some tinfoil or a lid on top and allow them to steam until tender but still holding their shape. This should take 5 to 6 minutes but will depend on the size of your asparagus. Use common sense and try them as you go.

          Dressing:

1. To dress gnocchi or pasta, put half the pasta into a warmed bowl.
2. Add half the sage cream sauce and half the remaining cheese.
3. Mix well and repeat with the remaining pasta, sauce and cheese. 
4. Garnish with Steamed asparagus, roasted capsicum, and a single paprika straw. Serve immediately.

Sources:

• Potato gnocchi adapted from every day with rachael Ray, http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Cheesy-potato-gnocchi-346736
• Steamed asparagus, Jamie Oliver, http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/member-recipes/Three%20simple%20ways%20to%20cook%20asparagus/1577
• Sage cream sauce, the Organic Tuscany Cookbook, http://www.organictuscany.org/recipes/first-courses/sage-sauce
• Roasted Capsicums, taste.com, http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/29215/roasted+capsicum
• Paprika straws, Martha Stewart, http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Cheese-Straws-Martha-Stewart-195667
• Silk's Leura.