This collection of gnocchi recipes contains some fantastic Italian starter ideas from some of the country's best chefs. Emanuele Scarello's luxurious gnocchi recipe is finished with black truffle shavings and a heady garlic sauce, with striking presentation fit for even the finest of dinner parties. If you fancy adding a touch of drama to the plate a dash of beetroot purée will result in a striking starter dish, demonstrated by Teresa Buongiorno in her Pink gnocchi with ricotta cream and Norbert Niederkofler's Beetroot gnocchi recipe.

While gnocchi can often be found lurking somewhere beneath risotto in the pasta section of restaurant menus, in Italy it is actually seen as an alternative to the pasta primo. Traditionally made from potato with the addition of semolina or flour, cheese, herbs and egg, they are technically regarded as a dumpling and tend to be boiled first before being finished in a pan or grill.