Rachel Khoo: gnocchi nights

Most people know me as a fervent supporter of French cuisine. Unsurprising, really, since I have been working at demystifying the daunting gastronomie in my little Paris kitchen over the past couple of years. But when it comes to simple home-cooked seasonal food, I often turn to the Italian basics, the ultimate crowd-pleasers that every cook should have in their repertoire. Paired with some fresh greens, these crunchy pan-fried morsels make for an elegant al fresco dinner.

PAN-FRIED GNOCCHI WITH GREENS

Serves 4

600g Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes

1 medium egg

100g plain flour, plus for dusting

Oil for frying

75ml white wine

1 heaped tbsp crème fraîche

1.5kg broad beans, double podded

150g runner beans, trimmed and blanched

Juice of ½ lemon

100g Ibérico ham, cut into matchsticks

Boil the potatoes whole in their skins for about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain in a colander and leave to cool. Remove the skins. Push the potatoes through a ricer, or mash with a masher. Mix with the egg, then the flour and season. Divide the dough into three and roll out into a sausage shape on a well-dusted work surface. Cut into 3cm pieces and roll each one in the palm of your hand to make a little nugget (press down lightly with a fork to make them more fancy).

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and drop in the gnocchi (you may need to do this in batches). When they rise to the surface, fish them out and leave to drain.

Dust the gnocchi in a little flour. Add the oil to a large frying pan and heat to hot. Add the gnocchi in batches and fry on both sides for 2-3 minutes until golden. Set aside.

Add the wine to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, add the crème fraîche and both the beans and cook for a further 2 minutes. Squeeze over the lemon juice, return the gnocchi to the pan and stir the ham through. Season and serve.