Potato Gnocchi with Clams, Tomato Fondant and Pesto

Method

1. Marinade the tomatoes: Place chopped tomatoes in a bowl with coarse salt, olive oil, chopped celery, carrot, onion, and basil stems. Mix and let rest for about 30 minutes.
2. Prepare the brine: Dissolve 375g of salt in 1L of water. Place whole unpeeled potatoes in the cold brine, then bring to a boil and cook for about 40 minutes until tender.
3. Cook the clams: In a hot pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and a crushed garlic clove. Add the clams and cover. Cook until they open, then remove the clams. Batter them briefly to release any sand.
4. Make the pesto: In a blender, combine basil leaves, pecorino cheese, and Parmesan cheese. Blend until smooth. (Optionally, traditionally made with mortar.)
5. Prepare the fish stock: Use the trimmings from the clams (the muscle) with onion, celery, and carrot. Add water and bring to a simmer. Add ice to shock the stock, then strain to obtain a clear broth.
6. Make the gnocchi: When the potatoes are warm but not hot, peel and mash them through a potato ricer. Add 200g flour and quickly knead into a dough. (Add more flour if needed, up to 350g per kg of potatoes.) Roll the dough into ropes and cut into small elongated gnocchi.
7. Cook the gnocchi: Bring the clam broth to a boil. Drop in the gnocchi and cook until they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon.
8. Finish the gnocchi: In a pan, melt butter and add a ladle of the cooking broth. Add the gnocchi and toss to coat.
9. Plate: On a warm plate, spread the marinated tomato fondant as a mirror. Place the clams in the center, then arrange the gnocchi on top. Finish with a drizzle of pesto.