Bertus Basson’s gnocchi and mushrooms

To make the gnocchi, peel and quarter the potatoes and cook them in a pot of boiling, salted water.

When they are soft, drain them thoroughly and pass them through a sieve.

Add the egg, cheese, salt, nutmeg and flour to the potato and mix thoroughly before bringing together into a light dough.

Don’t overwork the dough as you will get sticky gnocchi.

Bring a deep pot of salted water to a rolling boil.

Roll the gnocchi on a floured surface into sausage-like cylinders.

Cut them into 2-cm pieces and gently put them into the boiling water.

When they float, they are ready.

Remove with a slotted spoon, refresh in an ice bath and store on an oiled tray in the fridge until you need them.

Make the sauce by bringing the onion, garlic, thyme and white wine to a simmer and reduce the wine by half.

Add the cream and raise the temperature, reducing slowly by a third.

Stir in the cheese to melt, then blend and pass through a sieve.

The sauce reheats well, just give a quick blend with a stick blender before serving.

When you are ready to serve, heat a large non-stick pan with the oil and butter and wait for it to start foaming.

The pan must be large enough to accommodate all the gnocchi, if not repeat with half quantities.

Add the gnocchi and mushrooms to the pan and sauté until golden brown.

Stir in the herbs, season to taste and finish with a squeeze of lemon.

Serve with the warm cheese sauce and finish with crisp bread crumbs and chives.

Recipe extract from Being Bertus Basson.