Ingredients

• 200g rock salt
• 1kg mashing potatoes (Sebago or Desiree)
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon squid ink from the sack of squid or cuttlefish
• Pinch sea-salt
• 100g plain flour

• Juice of 3 lemons
• 3 globe artichokes
• Sunflower oil, for deep frying
• Salt flakes, to serve

• 100g butter, cubed
• 12 sage leaves, finely shredded

• 3 lemons, quartered
• 350ml olive oil
• 1-2 tablespoons salt

• Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved
• Lemon blossoms & sage blossoms

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Method

Preparation: 45 minutes
Cooking: 1 ½ hours

1. Preheat oven 190°C fan forced.

2. For gnocchi, spread rock salt evenly onto oven tray. Place the potatoes on top and bake for 45 -60 minutes or until tender. Prepare the remaining ingredients for the gnocchi; as working quickly while potatoes are hot produces best results.

3. Pass the potatoes through a mouli, in batches, into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre add the egg yolk, ink and salt. Sift in the flour and stir with your hand to form a soft dough. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into four. Roll each quarter into a sausage shape about 1½ cm- thick. Cut each sausage into 2cm pieces. Place on a well-floured tray.


4. For the deep fried artichokes; half-fill a large bowl with water and add the lemon juice. Trim the stalk, leaving about 2cm attached. Cut about 3cm off the top of the artichoke. Peel leaves away until you reach the paler yellow leaves. Use a teaspoon to scoop out and discard the choke (fine, furry part). Slice in half lengthways and place in the acidulated water for 10 minutes. Drain the artichokes then cook in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 12-15 minutes or until tender. Drain and pat dry. Deep fry 2-3 halves at a time until golden. Season well with salt.

5. For the sage butter, heat the butter in a shallow frying pan. When starting to bubble, add the sage leaves and cook until crisp and almost translucent. Strain the butter through a fine sieve into a clean bowl and set aside. Spread the leaves on paper towel to drain. Keep warm.

6. For the lemon emulsion, place the lemons (rind and all) into a blender, blend until smooth. Add oil while blending to for a creamy emulsion. Add salt to taste, until the emulsion is ‘zingy’ but not too bitter. Pass through a sieve.

7. Cook gnocchi in a large saucepan of boiling salted water 8-10 at a time. Shortly after the gnocchi has risen to the surface (test to see if cooked) remove with a strainer to a plate.

8. To serve, plate gnocchi in a shallow serving bowl. Top with deep fried artichoke and spoon over lemon emulsion. Finish with sage leaves, a spoonful butter, shaved parmesan and lemon and sage blossoms.