Hello and welcome to all Jacican going-ons.
2019 is the year to focus on cooking classes, as well as getting out and about and meeting new (and all my) friends.
So, I closed the shop front to the public. Now you can only visit Jacican as a guest in a cooking class or when you book a private gathering. Private gathering can be anything. This year we have had Vegan cooking classes, private harvest lunches, group training for mentors and their mentees and I’ve been invited to take part in the Village Feast in Jindivick in March. And it’s only February.
Jacican has joined Open Table as it’s booking portal for restaurant meals and functions. Upcoming Jacican events, you can find on Open Table are Restaurant Express support by Open Table – Part of the MFWF and Mother’s Day High Tea.
See you in 2019,
Cummaudo farm's Gnocchi
We are very lucky to live in Gippsland, especially Mirboo North, as the area grows a high percentage of potatoes, that you find in the supermarket. And I do love the local potatoes. Lately I have been working with Cummaudo Farms to make and share gnocchi with you all. You my find us - Jacican & Cummaudo Farms serving this recipe for gnocchi at an event near you.
If you don't catch us for a serve, we do make this recipe in my Harvest Lunch cooking classes.
Gnocchi is easier than you think to make. Best of all, it can be made ahead of when you would like to eat it. I like to eat my gnocchi triple cooked – blanched in boiling water to cook through, pan-fried in butter, then finished off under the grill.
Ingredients
1-kilogram Mirboo North potatoes - cleaned
1 egg
250 grams plain flour
1 pinch of salt
Method
1. Place potatoes in a saucepan of cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer until cooked.
2. Strain the potatoes. You could peel when still hot but move straight onto step 3.
3. Place the potatoes in a mouli and process the potatoes straight onto the bench into a mound. You may need to do this in steps, as the weight of one kilo of cooked potatoes, may be too heavy to hold.
4. Make a well in the centre of your mound and shift over the flour. Add the egg and a pinch of salt to taste.
5. Using your hands, gently bring the dough together until just combined and the dough is slightly springy. Divide the dough into 6.
6. Roll each piece of dough into a long cigar shape. Cut into 3 cm lengths, using a pastry scraper or knife. Roll each piece on a gnocchi pad or press with a fork to create sauce groves in your gnocchi.
7. Line an oven tray with a clean tea towel. Put this aside until you cook your gnocchi.
8. Bring a large pot of salted boiling water to the boil. Add the gnocchi and return to the boil. The gnocchi will be cooked when it floats to the top of the water.
9. Remove the gnocchi from the water using a slotted spoon and place on your clean tea towel lined tray.
At this point, you can add your cooked gnocchi to your chosen sauce. I like my gnocchi finished in butter, top with an aged sheep’s milk cheese.
