I’m going to be very cautious about buying gnocchi from now on

Gnocchi are a godsend — my children love them — but I was shocked by the quality on offer. Of the products I tested, 80% were made from reconstituted dried potato flakes, emulsifiers (mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids), stabilisers (diphosphates) and preservatives (sodium metabisulphate).

Most also came in non-recyclable packaging. Similar long-life products can be made with real potato and far fewer preservatives, so I’m going to be very cautious about buying gnocchi from now on. Best overall: Dell’Ugo fresh potato gnocchi (£3.70 for 450g at Ocado; £3.75 for 450g at Waitrose) earned four stars.

The moist, tube-shaped pieces are firm to the bite with a clean potato flavour and a uniform doughy texture. The recipe is simple — fresh potatoes, flour, salt and sunflower oil — and they floated when ready. Recycle the packaging in store. Best bargain: Rummo gnocchi di patate (£2.50 for 500g at Ocado; £5 for 1kg at Amazon) also scored four stars.

United Kingdom

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