Roasted stonefruit and tomato gnocchi with umeboshi and burrata
A dispatch from the other side of the world
Welcome to To Vegetables, With Love, a celebration of a vegetable life, less ordinary. ‘ Find archived recipes on my recipe index.
I write this in the early hours of Sunday, from Sydney. I arrived a couple of days ago and have been waking up at unseemly hours, but the silver lining is that I can get some work done while it’s quiet, without the temptation to venture out and about.
It’s Australian Linger launch day eve eve (comes out on Tuesday here) so from Monday, I’ll be doing lots of press, along with a couple of events - one in Sydney and another in Melbourne. I believe there are only limited spots left for my Kinokuniya event in Sydney but there are still tix available for my Readings event in Melbourne, so please come along and say hi. I literally have to write a book in order to get to connect with home cooks in this way (haha but true!), so this part of the book process is always special to me. Details of tickets are here:
KINOKUNIYA, SYDNEY
in conversation with Jennifer Wong and Benjamin Law
Tuesday 26 August, 7pm
Book tickets here
READINGS, MELBOURNE
in conversation with Besha Rodell
Thursday 28 August, 6.15pm
Book tickets here
Other LINGER links:
SIGNED + PERSONALIZED US BOOKS HERE: BOOKS ARE MAGIC
US PREORDER BONUS: INFO HERE
The week before I left Brooklyn, fragrant nectarines had just started to show up at the market and in my joy, I bought a bundle. I was determined to eat as many as I could, a stonefruit fling before my travels. I roasted some, along with some heirloom tomatoes and in an experimental move, served with them pan-fried crispy edged gnocchi. I wasn’t exactly sure it would work, whether the stone fruit would be too sweet, but the results were more pleasing than I expected. The little addition of vinegar helps to bring out the exciting nectar notes of stonefruit while the acidity balances out this sweetness. When roasted with tomatoes, the nectarines (and peaches) took on a savoury turn, imparting a sweet tang. Creamy burrata adds lushness (but feel free to leave it out if you’re vegan). I scattered over torn umeboshi (Japanese pickled plum) to add a sour and salty kick. It’s a great dish, surprising at times, a tad unfamiliar, but completely satisfying.
Roasted stonefruit and tomato gnocchi with burrata and umeboshi
© Hetty Lui McKinnon for To Vegetables, With Love.
I used mainly nectarines, with a couple of sad, wrinkly peaches thrown in. This recipe is also a great way to use up less than perfect stonefruit.
For gluten option, use gf gnocchi. You could also substitute the gnocchi with chickpeas or butter beans. For vegans, omit burrata or sub with vegan feta.
Umeboshi is a Japanese pickled plum with a puckery sourness and intense saltiness. I use them in onigiri, vinaigrettes or simply for snacking. I added them to this dish for a stark flavour contrast. If you can’t get them, leave it out; it’s a nice addition but not a deal breaker.
Serves 4
3 nectarines or peaches (or a combo), seed removed and cut into 2.5cm/1-inch wedges (about 1 pound / 450g)
3 tomatoes such as Roma or heirloom, cut into 2.5cm/1-inch wedges (about 1 pound / 450g)
extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons red or white wine vinegar
salt and black pepper
450g (1 pound) shelf-stable gnocchi
227g (8 ounces) burrata, at room temperature
5 or 6 umeboshi, torn and seeds removed (optional)
handful torn basil leaves
Heat the oven to 200˚C / 400˚F.
Place the nectarines and/or peaches and tomatoes onto a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and season with black pepper. Toss to coat and roast until the fruit is very soft, 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet on medium high until hot. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the gnocchi. Season with salt and pepper and cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes to allow them to get golden and crispy. Toss, and leave to cook undisturbed again, until the gnocchi are golden in many parts, another 2 to 3 minutes.
To serve, place the gnocchi onto a deep plate or shallow bowl, top with the roasted stonefruit and tomatoes. Tear the burrata and drape it over the fruit and gnocchi. If using, scatter over the umeboshi. Drizzle with more olive oil and top with basil. Finish with a gentle scatter of salt and black pepper. Serve immediately.
Congrats on Linger !!
We just made this recipe and this is an absolute winner, one of my favorite meals I've had recently.
I could see this being at a nice restaurant.
And not too hard to make either.