Gnocchi Soup

Ingredients

• Gnocchi
• 2 medium potatoes, boiled and peeled
• ¼ cup refined flour (maida)
• 1 egg yolk
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper powder to taste
• Rice flour for dusting
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• Soup
• 2 tablespoons olive oil + for drizzling
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 4-5 celery sticks (2 inch each)
• 1 small carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1½ cups tinned tomatoes
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper powder to taste
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 4-5 fresh basil leaves + to garnish
• Fresh cream as required
• Crushed black peppercorns for garnish

Method

1. To make the soup, heat olive oil in a deep pan, add garlic cloves, onion, celery sticks, and carrot, mix and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes, salt and black pepper powder and vegetable stock, mix and cook till the mixture comes to boil. Continue to cook for 8-10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, to make the gnocchi, mash the potatoes through a strainer into a large plate. Add refined flour, egg yolk, salt and black pepper powder and knead to make a soft dough.
4. Dust the worktop with some rice flour, place the dough on it, roll into a long roll and cut into small pieces. Place each piece over the back of a fork and press and roll to give them the shape of gnocchi. 
5. Boil sufficient water in a deep pan. Add salt and olive oil. Gently slide in the gnocchis into the boiling water and boil for 6-8 minutes. 
6. Switch the heat off from under the pan with the soup. Blend the soup into a fine paste with an electric hand blender. Switch the heat on and add salt and mix well. 
7. Tear the basil leaves, add to the soup and mix well. 
8. Drain the gnocchi and add to the soup and mix gently. Add fresh cream and mix and   cook for a few seconds. 
9. Transfer into individual serving bowls, drizzle fresh cream, sprinkle crushed black peppercorns, drizzle olive oil and garnish with basil leaves and serve hot.