Aubergine-wrapped Ricotta Gnocchi with Sage Butter

Hello, calories!

Let me make this clear - although the recipe says 'Serves 4 as a starter, or 2 as a main', you do not want to serve this as a main course.

That being said, it did actually have some interesting aspects to it. The main problem was that nearly every single step (and there were many of them, problematic in more than one sense) involved the generous use of oil or butter. And aubergines being aubergines, it's not like the oil will disappear again.

The gnocchi were very interesting, but far too large. I replaced the pine nuts with roasted crushed hazelnuts - definitely use either, they add much-needed crunch. What is more, the gnocchi are very cheesy by themselves and I definitely wouldn't serve them with oil-soaked aubergines - though I could imagine that they work well with something crunchy, low-fat and possibly slightly salty. Perhaps a roasted baguette? And smaller portions! Make it finger food! The gnocchi are served with a sage butter sauce - a really nice addition, in spite of the butter. Even more reason to cut out the aubergine.

All in all, this dish reminded me much of the Aubergine and Zucchini Rolls with Cream Cheese I made last year - same story, too much cheese, too much fat, too large portions. The sage butter reappears in the Nutty Butter Sauce with Sage, Pork Steaks with Lemon and Sage and Agnolotti dal Plin with Butter and Sage.