Ricotta Gnocchi and Nonna's Braised Beef

This Ricotta Gnocchi and Nonna's Braised Beef recipe pairs soft homemade gnocchi with rich slow-braised beef for a comforting Italian-inspired meal. Cooked using premium Kleenmaid ovens and cooktops, it's ideal for weekend entertaining.

Best prepared in one of Kleenmaid’s ovens and gas cooktops. Click here for more info

What you will need:

Gnocchi:

• 500g fresh ricotta cheese
• 150g grated parmesan
• 1 whole egg
• 150g plain flour
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 pinch of white pepper
• 1 bunch of chives, chopped

Braised Beef:

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 kg of beef shin
• 100g butter
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 anchovy fillets
• 250ml red wine
• 2 tbs of chopped thyme
• 2 tbs of chopped rosemary
• 1.5L tomato passata
• 500ml of full cream milk
• 3 tsp of black pepper
• 1 tsp of fennel seeds

How to make Ricotta Gnocchi and Nonna's Braised Beef:

Gnocchi: 

In a bowl, mash the ricotta cheese with a fork. Add the egg, parmesan and flour.

Mix the dough with your hands until combined. The dough is ready when you press it with your finger and it bounces back a little.

Place the dough onto a flour dusted bench and roll into a 2cm diameter log and cut into 2 cm pieces.

Cook the gnocchi in salted boiling water for a couple of minutes, until they rise to the surface. Strain and place into a pan with a little butter and serve with your favourite sauce.

Braised Beef:

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees on Traditional Cooking. Place the beef in a deep oven tray and roast.   

Meanwhile in a heavy-based sauce pan sauté all the vegetables and herbs with the butter and the olive oil together, add the anchovies and wine. Reduce to 1/4, then add the tomato passata and milk. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Turn the oven down to 160 degrees and add the sauce to the beef and cook for a further 4 hours or until tender.

Once cooked, pull it apart with a fork, mixing it into the sauce.  Serve with pasta, gnocchi or layered in a lasagne.