Brussels Sprouts and Chestnut Gnocchi Recipe

Servings: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 ½ hours

2 ¼ pounds|1 kilogram large, similar-sized floury potatoes, such as desirée
3 cups rock salt
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
5 ounces|150 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 large egg yolk, beaten
1 ½ pounds|680 grams brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
6 tablespoons|80 grams unsalted butter
¼ ounce fresh sage leaves
6 ounces|150 grams peeled chestnuts, quartered
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
⅓ cup|30 grams freshly grated parmesan
2 ounces|50 grams fontina (or other mountain cheese like comte)

1. Heat the oven to 400°F|200°C. Spread a thick layer of rock salt over the bottom of a baking sheet. Pierce the potatoes all over with the tip of a knife. Nestle them on top of the salt and place in the oven for about one hour (depending on the size), or until cooked through.
2. Remove from oven and cool slightly, then peel, discarding the skins. Pass the potatoes through a ricer or a sieve into a bowl and season with half a teaspoon of salt. Make a well in the middle, pour in the eggs and sprinkle over the flour. Carefully begin mixing together with your hands until you have a soft dough, adding more flour if it needs it (varieties of potato vary as to how much flour you need to add), but be careful not to overwork or over- knead it. Once it’s come together nicely and it feels like a slightly doughy mash roll a little ball and test boil it in some salted water. If it stays together and forms a pleasing pillow you’re good to go.
3. Dust a little flour over a clean work surface and pat down the dough so it’s flat. Cut this into four long bits, then roll these into even-sized sausages, about 2 cm in diameter. Dust a baking sheet with flour. Cut the “sausages” into 2 cm-wide slices (if you want you can gently press the prongs of a fork into one side to give them that pleasing ridged look but I don’t usually bother). Place on the tray, making sure they don’t touch. It’s ok if you have a few uneven shapes – they all taste the same. Refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Bring two large saucepans of generously salted water to a boil. Add the brussels sprouts to one of them and cook for 3 minutes, then drain.
5. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add the sage leaves and cook until crispy, 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook, flipping once, until golden, 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the chestnuts and garlic. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper.
6. Meanwhile, add the gnocchi to the other pot of boiling water. Cook until they begin to float, about 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the gnocchi to the skillet with the Brussels sprouts, tossing to combine. Grate the parmesan over and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss so everything is coated in a delicious cheesy buttery emulsion, if it looks more greasy than creamy add a splash of cooking water and turn up the heat for a few seconds. Plate and finish with the crisp sage and finely grate over the fontina.

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