Scroll down for Julie's GNOCCHI and POTATO BAKE recipes ...
Australia's first ever MasterChef Julie Goodwin is joining the stellar lineup for the Robertson Potato Festival on May 4-5.
Since becoming Australia's first MasterChef, the Central Coast mum-of-three has become a household name and she will share some spud recipes from her latest book, Classic by Julie Goodwin (RRP $39.99).
The vibrant town of Robertson, known as potato growing country, is all set to paint the town red, well, brown, with the popular 2024 Robertson Potato Festival.
This year, the festival has renamed the town to "Robspudson" in celebration of its rich potato heritage and the festival.
The event promises a weekend of fun, food and festivities that will have spud enthusiasts from far and wide 'digging in' for an unforgettable experience.
For all foodies, the Master Spud cooking stage is a must-visit where Julie will showcase her culinary expertise over both days of the festival, offering a treat for the tastebuds that you won't want to miss.
Dragon will be the star attraction of this year's event, set to perform on Sunday, May 5. Their electrifying performance will be a showstopper at the festival, adding a touch of nostalgia that will get everyone in the groove.
And if you're into Neil Diamond, multi-MO award winner, Peter Byrne, is bringing his Forever Diamond tribute show. Forever Diamond is a 50-year tribute to the music of Neil Diamond covering albums from Hot August Night , Love at The Greek, Beautiful Noise and the Jazz Singer. With hits including Cracklin Rosie, Solitary Man, Sweet Caroline, Song Sung Blue, plus the Grammy Award-winning duet You Don't Bring Me Flowers.
Peter has been endorsed by Neil Diamond himself as one of the best shows the musical legend has witnessed.
The excitement doesn't stop there, as the festival has a range of fantastic competitions and prizes lined up.
The highly anticipated Hessians on the Field competition offers a first prize of $1000 cash and prizes for categories totaling over $2000. Additionally, the pets section is back by popular demand, giving your furry friends a chance to shine and win exciting prizes.
The talented Emma Watkins (previously the Yellow Wiggle) will be the one of the judges.
New this year is the ScareCrow Competition which promises exciting prizes and a viewer's choice award. The Bowral Co-op will offer how to build instructions and all the materials needed to create a winning entry.
Berrima Old Machinery Club will showcase vintage farming equipment from yesteryear.
Seb, the festival mascot, will be back after debuting last year and being a hit with the kids.
Potato Bake by Julie Goodwin
I think many home cooks of my generation have a go-to potato bake recipe. Mine is straightforward, but I have friends who add all sorts of things to theirs - onion, cheese, bacon and more. Start simple, and go on to create your own signature spud bake.
- Julie Goodwin
SERVES 8-10 as an accompaniment
PREPARATION TIME 15 minutes
COOKING TIME 1 hour 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 kg washed desiree or pontiac potatoes, unpeeled
- 600 ml thickened cream
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- Salt
- Ground white pepper
METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Slice the potatoes very thinly, using a sharp knife or a mandolin.
2. Combine the cream, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss the potatoes through until they are well coated.
3. Layer the potato in a large baking dish (it doesn't matter what shape the dish is, but it should be around 6 cm deep and have a capacity of about 2.5 litres.) Arrange the top layer neatly, then press down on it firmly.
Cover the dish with good-quality aluminium foil and press down again, so that the foil is touching the top layer of the potato.
Seal tightly on all sides, then bake for 1 hour.
Remove the foil and cook for a further 30 minutes.
Gnocchi with Peas and Speck by Julie Goodwin
I learned how to make gnocchi from the lovely Patrizia in Florence. This is a sticky dough that requires little handling and comes out light as a feather.
- Julie Goodwin
SERVES 4
PREPARATION TIME 30 minutes
COOKING TIME 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 kg dirty potatoes (Sebago or Dutch cream)
- 12 cup (75 g) plain flour, plus extra to work with
- 1 egg
- 150 g piece speck, rind removed, cut into 5mm batons. If speck is not available, bacon can be used instead.
- 12 cup (75 g) frozen baby peas
- 12 cup (125 ml) thickened cream
- Sea salt flakes
- Ground white pepper
- 12 cup (40 g) grated parmesan
METHOD:
1. Peel the potatoes and cut them 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 a boil.
Boil for 10-15 minutes or until a skewer easily goes into them.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
Recipes extracted from Classic by Julie Goodwin (RRP $39.99). Available now from bookstores and online retailers.
Therese Murray
Wordsmith. Senior journalist. Editor. I have a proven track record in helping people and communities solve their problems. My career is all about telling stories.
Wordsmith. Senior journalist. Editor. I have a proven track record in helping people and communities solve their problems. My career is all about telling stories.
