JC's Gastroblog

Method

Sift the flour, salt and caster sugar (if using) into a mixing bowl. Rub in the butter, margarine and lard with the finger tips to the fine breadcrumb stage.

Add the egg yolk and enough milk to mix to a pliable dough using a round bladed knife.

Turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface and kneed lightly until smooth and even. Chill wrapped for 30 mins before using.

Method

Put the flour, salt and butter into a food processor and pulse together until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs (or make pastry the traditional way, rubbing in the butter by hand). Stir in 1½-2 tbsp of water with a round-bladed table knife until the mixture starts to come together into a ball. Turn pastry onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly until smooth. Cover and allow to rest for 20 mins in the fridge before using in y9ur chosen recipe.

Method

Peel the potatoes and cut into large, even pieces. Boil them in salted water for 8-12 minutes, depending upon th esize, until just tender. Drain thoroughly, then return to the pan and place on a very low heat for 3-5 minutes to drive off all the excess moisture from the potatoes.

Mash the potatoes, preferably with a mouli or potato ricer, then mix in the egg yolks, flour, seasoning and nutmeg. Tip the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead lightly until smooth.

Divide the dough into workable pieces (about fist-sized) and work with one piece at a time. Roll each piece into a sausage about 2cm in diameter, then cut this into 2cm chunks. Use a fork to flatten the chunks slightly and print the traditional lines on the gnocchi. Place them a floured tray, making sure they do not touch.

Bring a pan of lightly salted water to a gentle boil. Drop in as many gnocchi as will comfortably fit the pan and simmer gently. Don’t stir or the gnocchi may disintegrate. As they cook, they’ll bob to the surface. Give them about 1 minute from the time they surface, then scoop them out with a slotted spoon. Drain them on a plate lined with kitchen paper, then transfer them to a warm dish. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi until all are cooked.

Toss with your chiosen hot sauce or melted butter with fresh sage leaves and serve immediately.

Method

Sift the flour, salt and caster sugar (if using) into a mixing bowl. Rub in the butter, margarine and lard with the finger tips to the fine breadcrumb stage. Add the egg yolk and enough milk to mix to a pliable dough using a round bladed knife. Turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until smooth and even.

Method

Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Grate in the butter. Stir with a palette knife adding just enough water to make it begin to bind. Gather together in a ball and stop messing with it! Wrap it and rest it in the fridge for 30 minutes before using.

(Make Sausage Rolls, Salmon en Croute, Beef Wellington…)

Method

Sift the flour onto a marble slab or board and make a well in the centre. Put the salt, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla in th ewelland mix them with your fingers until the sugar dissolves. Pound the butter to soften it slightly, add it to the well and quickly work it with the other ingredients, using your fingertips to pull the dough into large crumbs.

To mix the dough thoroughly, work it in a few batches by pushing it on the working surface away from you with the heel of the hand and gathering it up with a dough scraper until smooth and pliable. Press the dough into a ball, roll lightly in flour to smooth it and wrap in non-stick parchment, foil, plastic wrap or a plastic bag. Chill for at least 30 mins or until firm. The dough can be stored, tightly warpped, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen.

Method

Sift the flour onto a marble slab or board and make a well in the centre. Pound the butter to soften it slightly. Place the butter, egg yolks, salt and a smaller amount of water in the well and work together with the fingertips until partly mixed. Gradually work in the flour, using the fingertips to pull the dough into large crumbs. If the crumbs are dry, sprinkle over a tablespoon more water. Press the dough firmly together; it should be soft but not sticky.

To mix the dough thoroughly, work it in a few batches by pushing it on the working surface away from you with the heel of the hand and gathering it up with a dough scraper until smooth and pliable. Press the dough into a ball, roll lightly in flour to smooth it and wrap in non-stick parchment, foil, plastic wrap or a plastic bag. Chill for at least 30 mins or until firm. The dough can be stored, tightly warpped, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen.

Method

Preheat the oven to 175°C. Cover a baking tray with baking parchment (or, preferably, one of those absolutely wonderful re-useable teflon baking sheets).

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Melt the margarine in the water and mix this into the dry ingredients to form a fairly stiff dough. (As usual, liquid is not a precise measurement and you may need to adjust it, as I did.) Knead it a little and roll it out to a thickness of about 3mm. Cut the dough into disks about 2½ inches across and place these, slightly separated, on the baking sheet. Bake them for 20 – 25 mins.

Cool them on a wire rack before devouring with the best blue stilton you can find!