Claire Vallée's recipe for gnocchi with mushrooms
Quick and easy – the perfect pasta recipe to whip up right away to make the rest of the week more bearable. The former boss of the dearly departed ONA, that pioneering vegan restaurant, has more than one trick up her sleeve.
“I’m a pasta fanatic! When I started cooking, I was trained by an Italian chef. Gnocchi was one of my first recipes… Here, I’ve made them vegan by removing the eggs, and it works really well!”
Schedule
Vegan mozzarella (to be prepared the day before): Blend all the ingredients in a blender. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and thicken over low heat, stirring constantly. Transfer to a mold and refrigerate overnight. The next day, unmold and smoke the mozzarella for 15 minutes in a smoker. Chill for 2 hours, then cut into cubes.
Truffle Gnocchi: Dice the truffle and reserve a small amount for garnish. Bake the potatoes in a 160°C (325°F) oven (dry oven setting) until tender. Peel and mash them with a potato masher. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the paddle attachment, combine half the flour, cornstarch, and mashed potatoes, then add half the truffle and a pinch of fleur de sel. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, adding the charcoal. Form small balls of the first mixture into gnocchi and drop them into a pot of simmering salted water. When they float to the surface, the gnocchi are cooked. Drizzle with a little oil to prevent sticking, set aside, and repeat the process for the charcoal gnocchi.
Pine Cream: Heat the plant-based cream in a saucepan, then remove from the heat and infuse the pine needles for at least 2 hours. Strain. Add the pine nut puree, neutral oil, koji water, soy lecithin, pepper, and a pinch of fleur de sel, then blend with an immersion blender. Cook the mixture for 15 minutes over low heat and keep warm.
To serve: Sauté the wild mushrooms in a little neutral oil. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté the gnocchi in a little olive oil and arrange them on a plate. Pour over the cream sauce, add cubes of smoked vegan mozzarella and wild mushrooms, scatter a little grated truffle over the top, and it's ready!
