[Spring Bee]

I made a batch of Gnocchi a few weeks ago. Decided to eat half of it that night & freeze the rest. It ended up being some of the best Gnocchi I've ever had so was very pleased with myself having frozen extra for another day.

I cooked up the frozen Gnocchi last night in just simmering water until they floated to the top. Then when I took them out of the water they just disintegrated into a soupy mess. Was totally inedible. Had to resort to the Fish & Chip shop for dinner. Any ideas as to why it went so wrong from frozen???

[Halcyon~]

frozen potato never works in my experience

[janw]

Had you cooked them before you froze them? That the only thing I can think of. That maybe cooking them a second time caused it. We make our own fresh gnocchi too but I've never tried to freeze it

[ubermum]

Yeah I would imagine try cooking them before freezing. That way the gluten in the flour will have developed to hold the dumplings together. I assume you cooked from frozen? You could also try defrosting the gnocci before cooking it to see if that works.

[Jenflea]

I have a gnocchi question!
What sauce do you serve with it? I don't want a tomato one, I'd like something different for a change. Like a meat one. Something my 2 yr old and my husband will both like.
We eat spaghetti a bit here as my daughter loves it, but what else can I do??

[Spring Bee]

They went into the freezer uncooked. So yes next time I will try cooking then freezing (but only a small amount as a test). There must be a way as you can buy frozen Gnocchi in the shops.

[countrymel]

I have had the same tragic experience with some german stuffed potato dumplings.

Like you the initial cook was utterly delicious - the follow up (cooking from frozen) resulted in a saucepan of glue! (and I am ashamed to say some tears from me as I was so looking forward to them)

I think it may have something to do with domestic freezers not freezing fast enough, so there is formation of ice crystals within the dumpling/gnocchi and weakening their structural integrity.

[Halcyon~]

I have a gnocchi question!
What sauce do you serve with it? I don't want a tomato one, I'd like something different for a change. Like a meat one. Something my 2 yr old and my husband will both like.
We eat spaghetti a bit here as my daughter loves it, but what else can I do??

The sauce on this gnocchi is good....real goooood.


Lindoni’s pumpkin, sweet potato and ricotta gnocchi


Ingredients

1 pumkin or 2.5kg of pumkin, peeled and diced into 4cm pieces

2 sweet potatoes or 1.25kg of sweet potato peeled and diced into 3cm pieces

1 bulb of garlic peeled and sliced.

Sea salt

Olive oil


300g Semolina

5 whole eggs

800g fresh ricotta (we use buffalo ricotta)

200g freshly grated parmesan cheese


For the sauce

250ml cream- reduced by half

30g fresh mixed herbs, oregano,rosemary thyme and parsley

50g parmesan

Sea salt


Method

In a large baking tray place diced pumkin, sweet potatoes and garlic, season with sea salt and toss with olive oil. Cover with foil and cook in a moderate oven 180°c-200°c for approx 1hr or until tender. When done place vegetable mix in a strainer to remove any excess liquid. Combine strained vegetables with eggs, semolina, ricotta and parmesan and blend in a food processor until smooth.

Line a 40cm baking tray with baking paper, making sure to also cover the sides. Spread the gnocchi mix evenly over the bottom of the tray to a desired height of about 2cm. Cover with baking paper and bake for 1hr at 180°c. Let cool completely before removing paper and cut to desired shape.


For the sauce

Place the cream in a sauce pan over a low heat and reduce by half, add herbs and sea salt and remove from heat, stir in parmesan cheese.


To plate

Reheat gnocchi and place in a bowl or plate, pour over sauce and if desired sprinkle with extra parmesan and finish under a salamander or a grill.

[*LucyE*]

I used to make big batches of gnocchi and freeze it. They always defrosted just fine.

I would freeze in a single layer uncooked and then move into a bag for space saving storage. When cooking, plunge into boiling salted water. They take the same time to cook as freshly made gnocchi so maybe you over cooked them?

My favourite sauce to go with gnocchi is a roast pumpkin with bacon. I also like them with blue cheese just melted over or a really spicy amatricana sauce.

[Chelara]

Maybe freeze in a ball of dough, defrost, knead, add flour if needed, form and cook.

I have had the gloop I also just left them raw in the fridge overnight and of course they went grey.