Ingredients

• 200ml/7fl oz olive oil
• 50g/1¾oz fresh basil
• pinch salt
• 500g/1lb2oz floury potatoes
• preferably rooster
• peeled and chopped
• 200g/7oz plain flour
• plus extra for dusting
• 1 large free-range egg
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 75g/2¾oz unsalted butter
• diced
• ½ head broccoli
• cut into florets
• 150g/5½oz asparagus
• trimmed and chopped
• 150g/5½oz fresh garden peas
• 1 lemon
• zest and juice only
• handful of fresh pea shoots
• to garnish

Directions

• For the basil oil
• put the oil
• basil and salt in a blender and blitz until smooth. Set aside.
• For the gnocchi
• put the potatoes in a large saucepan of cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes
• or until soft when pierced with a fork. Drain thoroughly.
• Put the potatoes through a potato ricer and place in a large bowl. Add the flour
• egg and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Mix to a dough then turn out onto a floured work surface and knead gently for 2–3 minutes.
• Divide the dough into four and roll each piece into a sausage that is about 50cm/20in long. Cut each sausage into 15 pieces and
• using the tines of a fork
• press each piece gently to shape the gnocchi
• leaving a dent from your thumb or finger on one side and fork marks on top. Put on a floured plate and continue to shape the rest.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the gnocchi on each side until golden brown.
• Heat a large saucepan of boiling water and blanch the broccoli and asparagus. Drain.
• Heat the butter in a frying pan and cook the broccoli
• asparagus and peas for 5–8 minutes
• or until the vegetables are just cooked through. Stir in the lemon zest and juice.
• Divide the gnocchi between four warmed plates and top with the spring vegetables. Garnish with the basil oil and pea shoots and serve immediately.