Chestnut flour gnocchetti with a tub gurnard ragù sauce

A first course made using simple ingredients to create a harmony of intense yet delicate flavors which we suggest pairing with a Montecucco Vermentino Irisse from ColleMassari.

Tub gurnard is a red fish with a large head that typically lives on the sandy bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. Its meat is firm and very flavorful and is excellent poached, in a stew, pasta sauce or chowder. Last but not least, it is not an expensive fish.

Ingredients for 4 people:

1kg red potatoes, 120g chestnut flour, 150g Solina soft-wheat flour, 1 egg and a pinch of salt.

For the ragù: around 1kg of tub gurnard, 20 small tomatoes, 1 garlic clove, extra-virgin olive oil as needed, ½ a hot chili pepper and basil leaves.

For the fumet: Tub gurnard heads and bones, 1 carrot, 1 golden onion and 1 celery stick.

Directions:

Boil the potatoes in salted water (3l water with 900g coarse salt). Once cooked drain and peel the potatoes then crush and flatten them on a flour-covered pasty board. Once the mashed potatoes are cold quickly mix in the egg, salt and flours that have been sifted and mixed together. Roll the potato dough into cylinders and cut them into small gnocchetti and then let them sit in a bowl covered with durum wheat flour.

Fillet and skin the tub gurnard and use tweezers to remove any remaining scales before cutting the fillets into cubes.

Trickle some oil in a pan and add in the fish head and bones, the carrot, onion and celery and toast everything quickly. Cover with cold water and simmer for around 30 minutes, removing any foam carefully. Filter and keep to the side.

Parboil the tomatoes, peel them, eliminate the seeds and cut them into cubes.

Put 4 tablespoons of EVOO in a pan with the garlic clove and chili pepper and sauté lightly. Add the fumet and continue cooking until it reduces somewhat. Add the fish and tomato cubes and continue cooking for a few minutes then remove from heat and flavor with some basil leaves

Boil the gnocchetti in abundant salted water. Remove them with a skimmer when they float and cook them slightly in the fish ragù.

Serve on warmed plates and garnish with basil leaves.

Wine to pair:

(edited by Stefania Vinciguerra)

Irisse Montecucco Vermentino Doc ColleMassari

Straw yellow with golden reflections. Floral and herbs references to the nose. The entry on the palate is fresh and creamy, then the wine progresses in sweet and savory tones remarkably persistent.

Production area: Poggio del Sasso in the municipality of Cinigiano, in the Montecucco DOC area.

The vineyards are located at 300 m. a.s.l. in varying expositions, where the soil is characterized by fractured sandstone and clay. The climatic and territorial exposure is excellent for the selected types of grapevines.

Grape varieties: 85% Vermentino, 15% Grechetto.

Wine making: Usually Vermentino is harvested some days before Grechetto. Vinification is in 40 hl oak vats, where the wine refines for 12 months. Bottle refinement six months.

Alcoholic content: 15% vol.

Serving temperature: 12°C.

Suggested food pairing: with all fish preparations, and particularly with antipasti, including non-seafood.