Broccoli Gnocchi with Butter and Parmesan and Red Pepper Ragù

Method

1. Boil the broccoli in salted water until tender. Drain, cool, and pat dry with a cloth or paper towel to remove excess moisture.
2. Pass the broccoli through a potato ricer to obtain a fine purée. Weigh out 190 g of broccoli purée.
3. On a work surface, combine the broccoli purée with 60 g of flour (about 2 tablespoons). Knead, adding more flour gradually (up to 160 g total) until a smooth, non-sticky dough forms.
4. Divide the dough into two logs and cut into gnocchi of your desired size. Place them on a floured surface without touching each other and let rest.
5. Prepare the ragù: finely dice the carrot, celery, and onion. Heat a little oil in a pan and sauté the soffritto for 1 minute. Add a sprig of rosemary and the finely diced red pepper.
6. Cook the pepper for about 2 minutes until it starts to caramelize. Deglaze with a glass of white wine and let it evaporate.
7. Add crushed tomatoes (or passata) and a glass of water. Season with salt, then simmer gently for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. Adjust salt to taste.
8. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi until they float to the surface (less than 1 minute). Drain.
9. In a separate pan, melt a knob of butter with a drop of oil. Add the cooked gnocchi and toss briefly over medium heat to coat with butter.
10. Turn off the heat, let the pan cool slightly, then add grated Parmesan. Toss until the cheese melts and forms a creamy coating on the gnocchi.
11. To serve, spread a bed of red pepper ragù on a plate, top with the gnocchi, and garnish with fresh oregano (optional), a drizzle of olive oil, and freshly cracked black pepper.