Conjure up some colour on your plates! This extravagant type of gnocchi made from beetroot is something for the sophisticated and those who aspire to become such. The congenial players in this composition of colours and flavours: celery cream and a sauce with red fruits.
Celery or celeriac?
Celery (sedano) is widespread and popular throughout Italy. Together with carrots and onions, for example, it is used in soffritto, the basis of many stews and soups. When Italians talk about celery, however, they usually mean celery stalks. Celeriac is actually only at home in the north, especially in Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige. The “celery from Verona”, as it is called in Italy, is often puréed, deep-fried, breaded or served with mayonnaise.
Celery from Verona
Celeriac is inextricably linked with Theoderic and Verona. This is where the Ostrogothic king wanted to celebrate his victory over Odoacer with the city’s inhabitants around 490. But how were so many people to be fed? The cooks had dead horses brought from the battlefield. The meat, which sometimes smelled somewhat pungent, was marinated in a dressing of wine and celery – and it tasted excellent. The pastissada de caval is now a traditional dish of the city and the white root vegetable was now called sedano di Verona.
Red and white
Celery can not only eliminate undesirable flavourings, it even helps to combat bad breath and stomach problems, or at least the people in northern Italy are convinced of this. Celery and beetroot are regularly on the menu here. In my family, the two were always happily combined: as antipasti, as side dishes, or in a gnocchi dish. Celery and beetroot taste tangy and sweet. The berry sauce contrasts this “earthy” taste with its fresh sourness.
Beetroot-Ricotta-Gnocchi with celery cream on a bed of berries
Ingredients
For the celery cream
- 200 g celery
- 50 g sunflower seeds
- 100 g ricotta
- 100 g water
- olive oil
- salt
For the berry sauce
- 300 g berries, sorted or mixed (sour cherries, red currants, red gooseberries)
- 1 garlic clove
- 50 ml red wine, dry
- 1 tbsp brown sugar, cane sugar
- olive oil
For the gnocchi
- 500 g beetroot, cooked
- 300 g ricotta
- 200 g Grana cheese, or Parmesan
- 200-300 g flour
Instructions
- For the celery cream
- Peel the celery and cut into small cubes. Heat a little oil in a pot and then slowly fry the celery over a low heat. Stir occasionally. After 10-15 minutes, the celery should be soft and crispy at the same time. In the meantime, fry the sunflower seeds without fat in a pan until they are fragrant. Finely purée the celery, water, ricotta and seeds in a blender. The consistency of the cream should resemble that of hummus. Season to taste with salt.
For the berry sauce
- Finely chop the garlic and gently sauté in olive oil. Deglaze with red wine. Add the fruit, sugar and allow the sauce to reduce slightly.
For the gnocchi
- Peel and chop the cooked beetroot. Purée finely in a blender. Add the ricotta, cheese and flour and mix well. Shape the dough into gnocchi with the help of two spoons. If you like, you can make them round. Dust your hands lightly with flour. Bring plenty of water to the boil, add salt and let the gnocchi cook in it. They are ready when they float to the surface. Serve the gnocchi on a bed of celery cream and a berry topping.
Nutrition
Buon appetito!
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