James Martin’s creamy sausage gnocchi

Method

1. Heat the oven to 170°C/fan150°C/gas 3½. To start making the gnocchi, rub the potatoes with oil, then place each one on a tablespoon of rock salt on a baking tray. Bake in the oven for 1½ hours or until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, heat a small frying pan until medium-hot, add half the butter and, when it’s foaming, fry the breadcrumbs until golden and crunchy. Season with salt and pepper, then tip onto kitchen paper to cool. Set aside.
3. Next, make the sauce. Heat a frying pan until medium-hot, then melt the remaining butter. Add the sausagemeat, then fry until golden brown all over. Add the shallots, garlic and chilli flakes, then cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and simmer until it’s reduced by half and the sausagemeat is cooked through. Keep warm.
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4. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half and scoop out the flesh, then pass through a potato ricer or sieve into a large bowl. To make the gnocchi, add the flour and egg yolk with some salt and pepper, then mix lightly with a wooden spoon or your fingertips until it forms a soft dough.
5. Tip onto a lightly floured work surface, divide into 4 even pieces and roll each into a long sausage. Cut into 2cm lengths and lightly pinch each in the middle.
6. Once all the gnocchi are cut, put them on a lightly floured tray and cover with a clean cloth. Boil a large pan of salted water and heat a griddle pan. Toss the radicchio wedges in the olive oil, then char on the hot griddle for 1 minute on each side. Put on a plate and keep warm.
7. Drop the gnocchi into the pan of boiling water. Cook for 2-3 minutes until they bob to the surface, then drain in a colander. Add the cream to the sauce, then the drained gnocchi, capers, parsley and lemon zest. Put back on the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
8. Arrange the radicchio on a serving plate, then spoon the gnocchi and sauce over the top. Finish with the parmesan and a sprinkling of the crunchy breadcrumbs.