Pasta, gnocchi and comfort eating - what's your go-to recipe?

The 2009 Masterchef winner Julie Goodwin has joined Cameron Daddo as a Citro ambassador and she's sharing a gnocchi recipe from her new book.

Gnocchi with peas and speck recipe

SERVES 4, PREPARATION TIME 30 minutes, COOKING TIME 20 minutes

Extracted from Classic by Julie Goodwin (RRP $39.99). Available now from bookstores and online retailers.

Ingredients for gnocchi with peas and speck

1 kg dirty potatoes (sebago or Dutch cream)
1⁄2 cup (75 g) plain flour, plus extra to work with
1 egg
150 g piece speck,
rind removed, cut into 5 mm batons
(see Note)
1⁄2 cup (75 g) frozen baby peas
1⁄2 cup (125 ml) thickened cream
sea salt flakes
ground white pepper
1⁄2 cup (40 g) grated parmesan

Method to make gnocchi with peas and speck

Peel the potatoes and cut in half if they are large. Try to have them all a similar size so they will cook at the same time. Place in a large pot of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Boil for 10–15 minutes or until a skewer easily goes into them.

Drain the potatoes, making sure they are very dry. Put the potatoes through a potato ricer or a mesh sieve into a large bowl. It is important that they are mashed very finely. Scatter the flour over the potato, add the egg and stir with a wooden spoon until it comes together in a dough.

Flour your work surface and turn the dough out. If it is very sticky, add a little more flour. Gently knead the dough for only as long as is necessary
to bring it together into a smooth mass. Roll the dough into a large sausage and cut it into eight pieces. Roll one piece into a sausage about the thickness of your thumb and cut into 2 cm lengths.

Place the gnocchi onto a heavily floured tray. Repeat this process with the remaining pieces of dough. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Drop the gnocchi in – they will start to bob to the surface in a couple of minutes. Once they are floating, they are cooked. Lift very gently out of the water with a slotted spoon and drain.

Place the speck in a frying pan over medium–high heat. Cook until the fat is rendering out and the speck is starting to turn golden. Tip the gnocchi into the pan with the peas and cream, and toss to coat. Taste, and season with salt and pepper. Serve in warmed bowls and top with parmesan.

NOTE: If speck is not available, bacon can be used instead.

Do you love gnocchi and pasta? What's your go-to comfort food?