Potato Gnocchi

Gnocchi are staple of the cuisine of Northern Italy. We are familiar with the traditional potato gnocchi described here, which sound fancy but are basically poached potatoes and flour dumplings. You will find countless varieties in Italy, made from potatoes, squash, bread crumbs, cheese, various types of flours and incorporating greens, meats, and herbs.

You can make these gnocchi the night before, and keep them covered and in the refrigerator. If you need to keep them longer, spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet or other flat pan and freeze. When frozen, you can transfer them to a zip lock bag.

This recipe is based on Jody Adams gnocchi recipe from her book “In the Hands of A Chef”.

Make 4 side dish serving (about 65-75 gnocchi)

2 lbs. baking potatoes, cleaned (about 3-4 potatoes)
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 large egg, beaten

Roast the potatoes for 40-50 minutes, or until just done. If they cook too long, they will not rice properly.

Let the potatoes cool for a few minutes. As soon as you can handle them (you can use a kitchen towel to protect your hand from the heat) cut each potato in half and scoop out the flesh. Place it in the ricer and rice into a large bowl or directly onto the counter.

Combine the flour and salt in a small bowl, add to the potatoes and mix well. Add the egg, and quickly knead everything together into a sticky dough, working as quickly as possible. The secret to tender, light gnocchi is 1) add as little flour as possible and 2) knead as little as possible.

Fill a small pan with water and bring to a boil. You will use this to test the texture of your gnocchi. Take a small piece of dough, about the size of a strawberry, and drop it into the boiling water. It will cook for about a minute, and then should rise to the surface. Let it cook for one more minute, then remove it from the water. If, rather than sink and then rise, it breaks apart, add a bit more flour to the dough and knead again. Once you get a test one that sinks and then rises without blowing apart, you are ready to move on to the next step. You should have a test gnocchi that is cooked through, but still soft and light.

Dust the counter with flour. Divide the dough into between 4 and 5 equally sized pieces. Take one of the pieces and place it on the floured countertop. Using the palms of your hands, roll the piece out into a 1/2 inch thick log, which will be about 18 inches long. Cut the log into 1-inch lengths, and place the individual gnocchi onto a sheet pan that has been dusted with flour. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

Fill a large pot with water, bring to a boil and season with salt. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water in small batches. Once they have risen to the top, allow them to cook for one more minute, then scoop them out with a slotted spoon and lay them on a baking sheet to cool. At this point, they are ready to use in your favorite sauce or baked gnocchi dish.