Ingredients

• 300g/10½oz King Edward potatoes
• peeled and cut into chunks
• 60g/2¼oz plain flour
• 40g/1½oz parmesan cheese (or a similar vegetarian hard cheese)
• finely grated
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 50g/1¾oz butter
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 2 garlic cloves
• finely chopped
• 100g/3½oz baby spinach leaves
• 150ml/5fl oz vegetable stock
• 100ml/3½fl oz double cream
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 50g/2oz parmesan cheese
• finely grated
• 1 small broccoli head
• cut into small florets
• blanched and refreshed
• 110g/4oz plain flour
• 110g/4oz cornflour
• 150-200ml/5-7fl oz sparkling water

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• For the gnocchi
• place the potatoes on a baking tray and bake in the oven for an hour.
• When cooked
• scoop out the potato flesh and pass through a potato ricer into a mixing bowl
• or mash very thoroughly.
• Add the flour
• parmesan and one tablespoon of olive oil. Beat together until smooth. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Use your hands to bring the dough together and roll it into long sausage shape. Cut into 2-3cm/¾-1¼in length pieces.
• Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the gnocchi until they float to the surface (approximately one minute). Do not crowd the pan - you may need to cook the gnocchi in batches.
• Remove the gnocchi from the water with a slotted spoon and drain. Repeat the process with any remaining dough.
• Heat a frying pan until hot then add the remaining olive oil. Add the gnocchi and fry until golden-brown. Set aside.
• For the spinach and broccoli sauce
• heat the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts to the pan and cook for three minutes
• or until lightly browned.
• Add the garlic to the pan and cook for one minute. Add the spinach to the pan and cook for one minute
• or until spinach wilts.
• Add the stock and cook for four minutes
• then add the cream and cook for 2-3 minutes
• or until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Mix the cooked gnocchi into the sauce.
• For the deep-fried broccoli
• heat a deep-fat fryer to 180C/350F
• or until a cube of bread sizzles and turns golden-brown when dropped into the oil.
• In a bowl
• mix the plain flour and cornflour with the sparkling water. Dip the broccoli florets into the batter.
• Add the broccoli florets to the hot oil and fry until crisp. Carefully remove the broccoli using a slotted spoon. Drain on kitchen paper and season with salt and pepper.
• To serve
• place the warm gnocchi and sauce in serving bowls with the fried broccoli on top.