Homemade Vegan Gnocchi in a Rich Tomato Sauce

Method:

For the gnocchi:

Peel and chop the potatoes and place in a pot of cold water. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil.

Reduce to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until tender.

Drain and mash potatoes, season with salt and allow to cool.

Gradually add the flour to the potatoes and begin to form a dough (the consistency of the dough needs to be solid but slightly sticky).

Divide the dough into 8 equal parts and roll each one out into a rope length. Cut each rope into one-inch pieces to form the individual gnocchi.

To achieve the signature gnocchi ridges, roll each one along the back of a fork. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and drop in the gnocchi in batches - after 2 to 3 minutes they will rise to the surface and can be removed with a slotted spoon.

For the tomato sauce:

Empty the tins of tomatoes into a saucepan and heat through, then add the sugar, balsamic vinegar and chopped basil.

In a separate pan, sauté the garlic and onion, add to the tomato sauce and season.

Blitz to a smooth consistency with a hand blender and simmer for a further 15 minutes.

For the courgette:

In a heated and lightly oiled pan add the courgette slices, sauté, then add the lemon juice, zest and minced garlic. Once cooked through, season with salt, pepper and lemon zest.

To serve:

Spoon the gnocchi into a bowl, then top with tomato sauce, courgette, toasted pine nuts, vegan parmesan, basil leaves, salt, pepper and chilli flakes.