Fried cavolo nero and peppered prawn gnocchi with pancetta

For gnocchi, bring potatoes to the boil in a large saucepan of cold salted water and cook until tender (15-20 minutes). Drain. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside to steam dry (10 minutes). Pass through a drum sieve or potato ricer and refrigerate, covered with a tea towel, until cold (2-3 hours). Cook cavolo nero in a saucepan of salted boiling water until tender (3 minutes). Refresh in iced water. Drain, squeeze out excess water, then very finely chop. Combine potato, cavolo nero, egg yolk, nutmeg and 1 tsp fine sea salt in a bowl. Add flour and parmesan and using your hand gently mix until combined. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Lightly knead each piece of dough until smooth, then gently roll to 1cm-diameter ropes. Cut into 1.5cm pieces.

Cook gnocchi in batches in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until they rise to the surface (1-2 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a large tray lined with paper towel and pat dry. Transfer to an oiled tray. If not using straightaway, cover and refrigerate until required (up to 2 days in advance).

For prawn sauce, peel and devein prawns, keeping tails intact; reserve heads. Refrigerate prawns until required. Heat oil in a saucepan over high heat. Add prawn heads and cook, breaking up with the back of wooden spoon to extract maximum flavour, until caramelised (5 minutes). Reduce heat to medium. Add tomato paste, fennel seeds and oregano sprigs and cook, stirring, until fragrant (2 minutes). Deglaze with white wine and reduce by three-quarters (1-2 minutes). Add butter and stir until melted. Reduce heat to low and cook until flavour develops (5 minutes). Remove from heat; strain through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing down on solids to extract all liquid. Stir through chopped oregano, garlic, lemon zest and juice and season. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 150°C fan-forced. Dry-roast chilli flakes, fennel seeds and pink peppercorns in a small frying pan until fragrant (1 minute). Transfer to a mortar and pestle and pound until coarsely crushed. Stir through 1 tsp sea salt flakes and set aside for prawn and pancetta topping.

Heat half oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add half the gnocchi and cook, turning occasionally, until golden (2-3 minutes). Transfer to oven tray and place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining oil and gnocchi. Wipe pan clean with paper towel.

For prawn and pancetta topping, heat half the olive oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add prawns and cook, turning occasionally, until golden and just cooked through (1-2 minutes). Remove from pan. Add remaining oil and pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden (1-2 minutes). Add garlic and chilli-pepper mix to pan and cook until fragrant (1 minute). Return prawns; toss to coat.

Meanwhile, place prawn sauce over medium heat and cook until sauce splits (2-3 minutes). Divide gnocchi and prawn topping among serving bowls; spoon over split prawn sauce, scatter with fried cavolo nero and fennel fronds to serve.