Crispy Gnocchi on a stick with charred peppers and basil pesto
Forget about threading just plain old vegetables on a stick – here, you intersperse veg of your choice on skewers with just-blanched gnocchi for crisp, flavoursome perfection
SERVES
4
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
15
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
4
MINUTES
Ingredients
1 x 500g packet of gnocchi
3 mixed peppers, chopped into gnocchi-size pieces (don’t use green peppers)
2 tbsp vegan basil pesto
3 tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing
a pinch of sea salt flakes
a good amount of freshly ground black peppercorns
8–12 skewers, soaked if wooden
For the dressing:
½ lemon, juice only
4 tbsp vegan basil pesto
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
a pinch of sea salt flakes
Method
Tip the gnocchi into a bowl of just-boiled water, and leave to blanch for 2 minutes, then drain and run under cold water to cool.
Put the gnocchi into a large bowl with the chopped peppers, vegan pesto, olive oil, sea salt flakes and freshly ground black peppercorns, and mix well to coat. At this point you could refrigerate the gnocchi until you're ready to barbecue.
Thread the gnocchi and pepper alternately onto the skewers. Once your barbecue is good and hot, brush one side of the skewers with oil, then lay them over the barbecue at a slight angle (this stops them falling through) and cook for 4–5 minutes, until the gnocchi are crisp and brown. Brush the tops with oil, then turn over and repeat with the other side.
Meanwhile, mix the lemon juice, pesto and extra virgin olive oil with a pinch of sea salt flakes to taste. Once the skewers are cooked through, serve immediately, with the basil dressing alongside.
Note: There’s really no limit to the number of things you could pair with gnocchi on a stick – try cherry tomatoes and halloumi or tofu, or cubes of fresh fennel and halved figs. And you could use red pesto or harissa or mustard mixed through with olive oil as a marinade.
This recipe is from Rukmini Iyer’s The Green Barbecue (Vegan & Vegetarian Recipes to Cook Outdoors & In)
