Plantain Gnocchi with Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

Spring is in full swing here in the Wairarapa and the Daffodil Festival has been and gone along with a few warm thunderstorms and many warm days spent in the sun. Being able to be outside in the warm sunlight has really lifted my spirits as well as seeing all the beautiful birds flitting and flirting around the gardens and the bees buzzing in the blooming trees around our temporary home.

It is Ostara tomorrow and I intend to celebrate with fresh not-cross buns, daffodil picking, and a picnic in the park with my family and my fiancé. I also have a lofty goal of attempting to make a basket from willows I will harvest from the riverbank nearby!

This recipe was made due to a request from a friend and fellow rabbit parent who messaged me pointing out that plantain is a favourite snack for the bunnies but that surely there’s something delicious we could create from it too. Potentially, if this inspires anyone, you’ll be harvesting plantain for your vegetarian non-human friends as well as yourself and your family!

Plantain is a prolific and vibrant green which is a great alternative to most recipes containing spinach or kale. I use it in this recipe as an ingredient in gnocchi to turn it a lovely green shade and to also add extra nutrients. Topped with caramelised roasted vegetables in a balsamic dressing with crumbled vegan feta, this recipe is colourful, hearty, and tasty. Enjoy my fellow foragers!

Plantain Gnocchi with Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients: Serves 6

Tofu Feta:

1/2-1 cup olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced finely

1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons white vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 tablespoon dried oregano

2 bay leaves

1 block firm tofu, cubed small

Roasted Vegetables:

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 sprigs fresh rosemary

3 red onions, sliced thickly

2 garlic bulbs, singular cloves left in skin

1/2 medium pumpkin, cubed

2 beetroots, cubed

2 carrots, cubed

2 potatoes, cubed

1 kumara, cubed

Salt & pepper

Gnocchi:

2 large potatoes, peeled & cubed

1 1/2 cups fresh plantain leaves

4 cups flour, more if needed

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Balsamic Dressing:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Directions:

1. In a clean medium/large jar combine the 1/2 cup of olive oil with the garlic, red chilli flakes, lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, bay leaves, salt, pepper. Add the cubes of tofu to the jar and shake around. Top up with more oil if needed to cover the tofu. Allow to marinate in the fridge for 2 days.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees fan bake and line two trays with baking paper. Halve your roasting vegetables and rosemary on the two trays and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables for about 40 minutes (turning halfway), or until caramelised.
3. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and cook the 2 cubed potatoes until soft. Mash and allow to cool. In a small pot boil the plantain leaves in some water for 3 minutes until softened. Drain the plantain and then blend into a paste with a little water.
4. In a large bowl knead together the mashed potato, blended plantain, flour, and salt. Add more flour if needed until a dough forms. Cut dough into 4 portions and roll each portion out on a floured surface into a long thin sausage shape. Cut into bite-sized gnocchi pieces and roll with a fork to give it’s special shape and texture.
5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the gnocchi pieces, you may need to do them in batches. Boil the gnocchi until it floats to the surface then scoop out and drain in a colander.
6. Transfer the feta to a bowl and drain a little of the olive oil. Keep about 1/4 cup of olive oil in the feta jar (primarily the bottom bit where the herbs and garlic have settled). Add the other balsamic dressing ingredients to the jar and shake.
7. Serve the gnocchi topped with roasted vegetables, crumbled feta, and a drizzle of balsamic dressing.

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