Lentil gnocchi with roasted cauliflower and zhug
Ilike to modify old classics and give them a new twist. So I have already tried out a few gnocchi recipes. I particularly liked beetroot gnocchi and wild garlic gnocchi. Not only do they look colourful, but they are also particularly aromatic. Just like these lentil gnocchi.
As I was standing in the kitchen again, shaping a few lentil balls, I had a new idea: lentil gnocchi. The consistency of the lentil dough is very similar to gnocchi dough. Admittedly, my own creation doesn’t have much to do with the original recipe, but that’s what I like about cooking – when new ideas come up and they taste good.
But just lentil gnocchi? No, there has to be a side dish. And because lentils harmonise perfectly with cauliflower, the good cabbage is put in the oven for a few minutes with a handful of aromatic spices and the finest olive oil. Roasted to a golden brown, it can then join the spicy lentil gnocchi on the plate.
Zhug – chilli coriander sauce
And what about sauce? Of course, you can’t do without it! For me, almost nothing goes without coriander – so I definitely have the fiery chilli-coriander sauce Zhug to go with it!
On top a few nuts
Want a little crunch? Then roast a handful of hazelnuts or almonds in the pan and top your lentil gnocchi with roasted cauliflower.
No Foodwaste
If you want to produce as little waste as possible, chop the coriander stalks and put the cauliflower leaves on the tray as well. Roast them until they are crispy and you can snack on them later with the rest of the zhug.
Extra tip
Gnocchi always taste a little better if you fry them in a little butter before serving!
Recipe for lentil gnocchi
Equipment
Ingredients
For the lentil gnocchi
- 200 g red lentils
- 1 small piece of ginger (approx. 1 cm)
- 1 TSP Olive oil
- 200 g Potatoes (floury)
- 300 ml Vegetable broth
- 1 TSP Cumin (cumin)
- 1 TSP Coriander seeds
- 40 g Mint
- 40 g Coriander
- 50 g Wheat or lentil flour
- Salt, pepper
- Zhug at will
Zubereitung
- For the lentil gnocchi, rinse the lentils under running water. Peel and finely grate the ginger. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the lentils and ginger briefly. Pour the vegetable stock over the lentils and simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Boil the potatoes in salted water for about 20 minutes.
- For the roasted cauliflower, preheat the oven to 180°C top/bottom heat. Wash the cauliflower and cut into small florets. Mix with olive oil, zaatar and lemon zest and spread on the baking tray. Roast the cauliflower in the hot oven for approx. 15 minutes.
- Rinse cooked potatoes briefly under cold water, peel and mash with a masher or fork. Wash and finely chop the herbs.
- Prepare the Zhug according to the recipe.
- Allow the lentil mixture to cool briefly, mix with spices, herbs, mashed potatoes and flour into the lentil mixture until a dough is formed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the dough is still too sticky, simply mix in some more flour.
- Shape the lentil dough into rolls, cut into small pieces of approx. 1-2 cm and roll over a gnocchi board or alternatively press on with a fork.
- Cook the lentil gnocchi in boiling salted water for approx. 2 minutes until they float to the surface.
- Arrange the gnocchi and roasted cauliflower on plates and top with Zhug. Sprinkle with roasted hazelnuts or almonds if desired.
Notes
Nährwerte
Try the hummus with roasted cauliflower or, for even more lentil fun, mudardara and mujadara.