How to Cook Gnocchi with Kids

Gnocchi is a sort-of-pasta made out of potato! It's a very straight forward cooking activity that kids would definitely adore every step.

So here is how we enjoyed the gnocchi making at Carluccio's one fine Saturday morning!

Step 1: Eat breakfast! Well, the kids were supposedly cooking breakfast for us - but they need to nourish themselves first, right? Besides nobody should cook with their stomach empty. Bad for the cook, bad for whoever will eat the food - simply because, nothing might be left to eat! So here goes our little chef eating his breakfast at Carluccios.

Step 2: Prepare the utensils (bowl), ingredients (pre-cooked potato mash, flour and egg) and cute-chef materials (see that chef hat with little drawings on them - they made them as pre-cooking activity! Releases the stress of away from cooking. 

Step 3: Knead the potato mix! Mash away, babies! This activity is great for kids to learn texture through sense of touch. Gotta love the multi-sensory things going on here for kids development. For sure, my kids will be going to be successful - thanks cooking classes! 

Step 4: Time to do some more serious kneading of the potatoes  - until the kids are complaining, which might take more than thirty minutes so for sure, there's some homogenous mixture and good quiet time for breakfast for parents. Weeee! 

Step 5: Remove the mixture from the bowl. And then knead the mixture some more!  

Step 6: Time to cut and roll!  For my pre-schooler, we were discussing the concept of "long and short" during this fun activity. For my key stage 1 student, we were discussing the concept of "fractions - quarters, 1/10 and so on." It is really fun taking the classroom out of loop when learning! 

And then we sing - rolling, rolling, rolling!... la la la 

Step 7: Bond with the Chef while cutting the rolls! 

Step 8: The gnocchi is now ready for the desired sauces! Pose with the proud dad!

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Step 9: Now toss with your favorite sauce - tomato, cream or pesto! Serve immediately. 

Step 9: Enjoy eating! 

Step 10: Reward the kids for completing the lesson - pose with Chef with Certificate of Completion!

We should do this activity again! If not at home, Carluccios is really a very homey place to make kids appreciate Italian food - eating and cooking alike.


Keep exploring!
 

Dining Out in Doha: Carluccio's

We finally enjoyed the breakfast at Carluccio's! We waited too long for this breakfast at the Pearl but it was worth the wait. It's not 100% authentic Italian food here in Doha but it comes close.

It was not easy to find also for us. At the big round about, we turned right, instead of turning left. So if you are visiting the restaurant, it is at P7. Turn left after the big round about and follow the sign. I think P7 is still under construction right now but there is still a HUGE arrow pointing to the parking entrance of Carluccios. We missed it but we it's a habit of ours to miss important signs. We were able to turn back immediately and after parking the car, it was all breeze finding the restaurant.


The kids are so fond of eggs, and they definitely loved the eggs at Carluccio's. We didn't get to sit outside and enjoy the excellent view while eating because it was already sizzling hot and humid at early mornings. That's a big shame. Although, the kids enjoyed running around inside the restaurants freely. But hey, these kids can run around inside any restaurants no matter how tiny the place is. But in the case of Carluccios, they had some space to run around without irritating other customers who were eating at that time.

We definitely love the kids pack. It's a coloring puzzle. Plus, the pencil colors look elegant and not cheap! The kids had a good time while waiting for the breakfast.

The husband find the food good enough. Not so-so like any other restaurants he tried but not extra good. It's in between his taste. Well, that's not so good then.

It's a good place, though not extraordinary in Doha. We have enjoyed the Opera more this time around. Would we come back? Maybe for lunch or dinner during winter time.

It is a bit expensive for our taste but nothing we can't make at home. If we are going for breakfast again, it would be just to relax and have a long breakfast with husband. 

The kids pack so posh!

my chocolata!

omelette!

my egg florentine! I enjoyed every bit of this!

breakfast combo! 

husband does not look impressed!

but hey, they devoured the food and nothing is left. 

Keep exploring!