Nettle and potato gnocchi with sage, garlic and pine kernels

1. Put the potatoes on to steam (or simmer) in their skins for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, wearing gloves, wash the nettles well, removing any tough stalks. Then place them on top of the potatoes for their last few minutes of cooking.

2. Once they are wilted, remove and let them cool down. Then chop finely.

3. When the potatoes are cooked through, remove them to cool and dry out. When cool enough to handle, peel and mash them, making sure no lumps remain – if you have a ricer, use it.

4. Add the chopped nettles to the potatoes, along with the seaweed flakes.

5. When the mixture is cold, make a well in the middle and drop in the egg and sift over the flour and salt.

6. Gently bring everything together using your hands and knead to a soft dough. At this stage you may need a little more flour, both on the surface and in the mixture.

7. Roll the dough into long sausage shapes about 2.5cm in diameter, and cut into 2cm pieces. Dust lightly with flour and put on a tray. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

8. After cooling, roll them into balls and then, taking a floured fork, push it into the dough to make a ridged surface. Return to the floured tray.

9. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and drop in about a third of the gnocchi. Simmer until they float to the surface, then give them a further 20-30 seconds. Lift out with a slotted spoon, drain well and place in a heated dish, along with a knob of butter. Keep warm, cooking the remaining gnocchi in two further batches.

10. In a pan, melt the butter with the garlic slices and pine kernels and cook until just golden. Remove them to a plate, then add the sage leaves to the butter, allowing them to froth and crisp up. Return the garlic and pine kernels to the pan, and spoon this buttery sauce over the gnocchi, grind over plenty of black pepper and dust with cheese.

11. Serve at once on hot plates as this is a dish, like pasta, I find gets cold quickly.