We didn’t plant any nasturtiums at all this year. Totally forgot. But the beautiful blooms have come up all on their own in the same place and randomly across the patch. They seem to know what needs company as a little bloom appeared right next to the Firestorm Runner Beans last week and a little sprout is up near the lonesome broccoli.
Nasturtiums taking over the plot!
A superfood status
Last year I wrote how they should attain superfood status for all their virtues and uses raw in pesto and salads. This year I have been experimenting with it in cooked form as we really have so much I cannot bear to throw any of the leaves away. It’s pretty great as a spinach substitute in curries. Just chop and add it in right at the end of cooking. The steam just wilts the leaves and it retains the watercressy flavour. I’ve also added it finely chopped to a basic bread dough mix with some nice results. Was great toasted with cream cheese. Use this recipe for my spinach version and swap out the spinach for nasturtium leaves.
Nasturtium Loaf
Some Noquis or Nhoque to celebrate the end of the month with the South Americans
I’ve been doing some writing for GB Chefs lately and throughout the course of my research I found a really interesting story about a traditional dish from Uruguay which stems from the immigrant Italian population. It is eaten every month, on the 29th to be precise, and is called Noquis. The same tradition is followed in Brazil and is called Nhoque da Sorte or ‘Lucky Nhoque’ but both are served with some notes or coins under the plate. This is said to bring prosperity for the month ahead. Noquis or Nhoque are the little dumpling the Italians call Gnocchi. I decided to use my nasturtiums in the dough. If you don’t have nasturtiums, you could use watercress or spinach instead.
Noquis or Nhoque eaten on the 29th of the month with money placed under the plate for prosperrity
Nasturtium Noquis/Nhoque da Sorte
Notes
- 1 kg floury potatoes like maris piper or desiree
- 1 heaped tsp salt
- 25-30 nasturtium leaves - approx 250g (or spinach/watercress)
- 350g '00' grade pasta flour
- Half cup fine semolina
- Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
- Parmesan cheese for grating
- Peel and chop the potatoes into 2 inch chunks and then boil them til they are soft.
- While the potatoes are boiling pop the nasturtium leaves into a colander.
- Use the hot water from the boiled potatoes to wilt it, drain off the water and then whizz it into a puree in a food processer.
- Mash the potatoes and then mix in the pureed nasturtiums.
- Add the salt and pasta flour til you get a smooth dough. It should all come together with the liquid from the spinach but if you need more you can use the potato water.
- Sprinkle some flour and the fine semolina over a clean work surface, take a ball of the dough and roll it into a long sausage shape about 1.5 – 2cm wide. It doesn't matter how long as long as you have the right thickness.
- Now using the long edge of a ruler, chop off 1cm chunks. If you flick the ruler as you cut you will end up with one slightly longer edge to your chunk. It doesn’t really matter though what shape they are. Just try to keep them around 1.5 cm as they will inflate slightly in the water.
- You could then roll these over the tines of a fork to make little grooves but it doesn't really matter if you don't have the time like I usually don't!
- When all your noquis are made, bring a pan of water to the boil and then pop in a batch at a time. They should take approx. 2 minutes to cook and float to the surface. when they are floating, take them out on to a platter with a slotted spoon. They may stick together so you could drizzle some olive oil over each batch.
Nasturtium Gnocchi or Noquis/Nhoque served with Giant Couscous, Feta and Olive OIl
I love this post, love the idea of the gnocchi, LOVE nasturtiums and love and wanted to share with you a fav scene from Godfather 3 — enjoy it dubbed in Italian! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2NkM1B3olM
Brilliant scene 🙂 love how those films were so much about the food.
What a gorgeous recipe. I’m looking for ways to use nasturtiums and hadn’t thought about the similarity to watercress. Have you used the flowers at all? We saved and stored the seeds in brine successfully once to use and poor mans capers.
Thank you. I have used the flowers in salads and in a pesto. See post here https://thebotanicalbaker.wordpress.com/2013/09/11/nasturtiums-should-be-a-superfood
I also made poor man’s capers and they lasted sooo long. It was such a brilliant plant for £1 packet of seeds. Bonus this year as we haven’t bought any seeds!
I’m going to do more with them this year definitely.
Hi Urvashi!
Nasturtium as a superfood? Great! My dad has plenty of nasturtium 😉
Thank you for these recipes.
Have a lovely weekend
Lou
Hi Lou, I don’t think it is actually designated a superfood by the powers that be. Just in my view they should be as they are so versatile. Happy experimenting. Hope your Dad won’t mind you using up his nasturtiums! Mind you they grow back like a weed so I’m sure there will be plenty
He just wrote to me to tell he didn’t plant any this year 🙁
Aww never mind. Try getting seeds from any old pound shop and putting in a planter indoors?
I’ll see if there are some chances 😉
I have a forlorn packet that didn’t get planted (boo) and with being in Scotland it is probably too late. Ach well. This recipe sounds d-e-licious though. Comfort food for summer 🙂 In the Deep South in the US where I am from originally, Hoppin’ John – a black eye pea stew – is what you eat on New year’s Day, and whoever finds the dime (10 pence, sort of) gets a year’s luck! Maybe inflation has got to this tradition but it is a fun, if slightly daunting dental experience! Recipe on the blog btw, in the index
I love black eyed peas so will def look that up. Who’s Hoppin John then? Was he a Deep South character?
the name origin is not known but possibly a mis-hearing of the Creole word for black eye peas. It is a fab frugal dish with plenty of vinegar and hot sauce for a cold January 1st day 🙂
What a great idea to use nasturtium for your gnocchi! They are so beautiful and I ever only use them for salads 🙂
I have hoisted out about two large bushes today of the leaves and flowers. They are for the pesto which freezes really well. I want to try making tagliatelle too. Perhaps a green version with the nasturtiums and then a yellow one with some of the flowers. Then I just need a bit of blue edible flowers for the Brazilian flag colours!
What a wonderful idea! I saw your pesto and earmarked it for future reference, too…
I had no idea nasturtiums were edible, I grew them in one of my student flats that had a south facing flight of steps up to the front door but never since oddly enough. Maybe next year now I know you can eat them!
Yup. The link to the post last year shows how many we for from my eldest’s £1 packet. It’s giving again this year. Love them!
What a great recipe! I haven’t tried it before, but I will be giving it a go.
Thanks. Gnocchi are very easy and quite healthy if you use sweet potatoes. Also nice with a little ricotta added into the dough.
Simply gorgeous. You’ve reminded me to take a bag of nasturtium seeds back to Dubai with me. Must try sweet potato gnocchi
Thank you Sally. I can always post you some too x
What a lovely idea! I have plenty of nasturtium in my garden and I am always on the lookout for creative recipes that feature them.
Great! Let me know how you get on 🙂
How interesting! I have eaten nasturtium leaves in salads before but had not thought to make pesto with them… Going to have to raid a friend’s allotment for some now!
You are always welcome to raid mine 🙂
Do you have the recipe for the nasturtium bread loaf? I would LOVE to try it!
Hi, sure I followed this recipe and instead of spinach added nasturtiums https://urvashiroe.com/2015/01/11/spinach-cheddar-and-cumin-loaf/
I have updated the post above so you can click through