(Serves eight)
Ingredients
For the gnocchi
500g starchy potatoes, such as russets
1 egg yolk
pinch of salt
150g plain flour
For the sauce
4 tbs coconut milk
150g mascarpone cheese
40g fresh coconut, grated
1/2 small bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped
For the dukkah
100g blanched almonds
2 tbs coriander seeds
2 tbs cumin seeds
2 tbs grated fresh coconut
2 tbs sesame seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Nasturtium flowers to garnish
Method
To make the gnocchi
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/gas mark 7. Bake the potatoes for 1.5 hours. Remove and leave until cool enough to handle.
Halve the potatoes, and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Put the potato flesh through a potato ricer, to mash finely. Add the egg yolk, salt and three-quarters of the flour, mixing well to form a smooth dough, adding the remaining flour if required. Divide the dough into four pieces, then roll into sausage shapes, about 2.5cm thick. Cut the sausages into 1cm long pieces and arrange on a floured tray. Gently press each of the gnocchi with a fork to flatten slightly.
Boil a saucepan of water and drop in the gnocchi. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until they rise to the surface of the water, then drain immediately.
To make the sauce
In a small pan, cook the coconut milk and mascarpone on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Season to taste and stir in the grated coconut and coriander.
To make the dukkah
Place all the ingredients in a hot dry frying pan and gently toast for 2 minutes, stirring all the time. Cool and grind roughly with a mortar and pestle. Add the cooked gnocchi to the coconut and mascarpone sauce and coat well. Serve sprinkled with the cumin coconut dukkah and garnish with a few nasturtium petals.
Taken from the Orient Express cook book by Silvena Rowe