Perfect Keto Gnocchi for old-fashioned foodies
Perfect Keto gnocchi saved my day! If they did not turn out as perfect as they did, I probably would suffer a huge disappointment! In my attempt to make perfect Keto tagliatelle I ended up with the dough that was breaking when I run it through the pasta machine. Well, they say that some of the best and most famous dishes are born out of error. Let’s face it if you want to replace gluten from the cereals, the natural ingredients will not work perfectly. Of course, there are many Keto pasta recipes around the web, but all of them include xanthan gum which I categorically refuse to use!
Why do people miss pasta so much?
Trust me, it’s not about pasta! It’s the variations of sauces, cheese and all other culinary art that is usually applied to make pasta delicious. If you take a bowl of plain cooked spaghetti and try to eat them alone, without any additives – you might choke on them. No, seriously, they taste like nothing! Especially if you did not even add salt to the water. So, why do we have it as awesome comfort food? Well, the secret lays in fresh, Mediterranean ingredients that make anything taste divine. All combined with some of this planet’s best cheeses – you have a winning situation.
Ketonians and pasta, what an oxymoron!
We received so many requests and we had to give it a try. The dough was based on our phyllo dough with just a slight variation. However, the pasta machine crumbled it! Then we tried rolling it with a rolling pin and it worked. Well, at least it worked when we cut really wide stripes. This did not satisfy us! If we are going to make Keto pasta with natural ingredients, we will do it properly! So I came up with the idea of Keto gnocchi! In my previous life (this is when I used to eat carbs ;)) Gnocchi was my favourite pasta! So, the perfect Keto gnocchi was the ending result of a failed experiment!
The history of Gnocci
Like other pasta products, gnocchi history is linked to the Apennine peninsula. It is believed that the initial recipe was developed in the Middle East. It arrived on the European continent through the expansion of the Roman Empire. Each country has developed its version of gnocchi using various ingredients. Some used wheat flour or bread crumbs. Modern gnocchi as we know them today were invented with the arrival of potatoes in Europe in the 16th century.
Did you know that in restaurants in Italy, and especially in Rome every Thursday, they have gnocchi as a specialty of the day?
Let’s remember quickly why we quit starch?
Starch could be the ugliest of all carbs. When starch is absorbed, it dissolves into glucose molecules with the help of enzymes. Precisely, enzymes named amylases help in turning starch into glucose. Of course, with some help from the water. For people already fighting with insulin resistance, starch is the worst thing to consume. They feel as if they are not eating the bad sugar, but in the end, starch turns to sugar! Even if we exclude cereals rich in gluten, starch is still just another name for high blood glucose! So, Ketonians quit starch and they got healthier, slimmer and much more beautiful! This, of course, doesn’t mean they can’t make a pastry or Keto bread…
Working with psyllium and what we’ve learned
Psyllium does not work as gluten but more as a binder. Gluten gives this rubberish feeling to the dough and this is why Ketonians often go for artificial fermented starch, such as various gums. But as mentioned earlier, Greek Goes Keto is all about natural and least industrial possible. We did not even want to melt some mozzarella to use it as our glue. However, at the end of our experiment, when we actually boiled the gnocchi, the psyllium power came to its full potential. The water we used to boil the gnocchi turned into a beautiful gel! This gave us the idea! Next time we will work on the dough by boiling some psyllium with water prior to adding it to the dough.
The simplicity of perfect Keto gnocchi
I’ve seen many recipes and all of them include the forbidden “gum” word. Then the process of preparation includes frying, broiling, baking and flaming. I am a foodie and all these wouldn’t be a problem. However, I wanted to create something simple and quick for my pasta missing Ketonians. It turned out better than I could have dreamed. You simply boil your perfect keto gnocchi, sprinkle them with grated aged cheese, add a herb or two and some garlic. Fantastico!!! – As my Italian friend, Matteo would say! It really turned out…
“Perfetto”
As soon as you make this recipe, you’ll understand what I am talking about. Of course, you can use any of your favourite sauces, but this simple Carbonara feeling (because eggs are in the dough) will give you a wonderful Keto gourmet experience!
Italian nonna mode on!
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs free-range
- 70 g (1/3 cup) butter grass-fed
- 50 ml olive oil extra virgin
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp psyllium powder organic
- 200 ml (1 cup) warm water
- 1/2 cup almond flour extra fine
- 4 tbsp coconut flour
Topping
- 4 tbsp grated aged cheese we used goat cheese, Parmesan would be great
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Mix psyllium with warm water and set it aside.
- Beat the eggs with melted butter and olive oil for 2-3 minutes and then add psyllium and water. Add sea salt and keep beating to unify.
- Add coconut and almond flour and mix with your hands. The dough will not be very thick at first. Don't worry, wrap it with transparent plastic foil and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. (You can also leave it overnight)
- After resting in the refrigerator the dough will become thick. Make small balls of it (approximately the size of whole walnuts). Press each ball with a fork to create stripes.
- Boil 1 litre (4 cups) of water and then reduce the temperature so that it gently simmers. Add gnocchi carefully making sure they all come to the top. Control the temperature so that you don't lose the simmering, but make it very mild. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Remove the gnocchi with a strainer and place them on a wide plate. As they are hot sprinkle them with grated cheese. Now sprinkle with dried parsley and black pepper. Serve warm.
