Gnocchi
GNOCCHI
Gnocchi is a tasty potato dumpling that can be served in a variety of sauces. Though it’s a dish that takes hours in the kitchen to prepare, it is well worth the effort. I always like to invite friends and family to join in - it’s more fun with others and makes the process go faster.
Time: Approx. 3 hours
Ingredients
600 g. bulk potatoes (150 g/potato), washed
About 1 cup (200 g) flour
One egg
Salt
Recommended tools
Potato ricer
Gnocchi paddle*
Instructions
1. Boil potatoes with their skins left on for 40 minutes in a large pot of water (pressure cooker 15 min).
2. Squash potatoes with the “schiaccia patate” (potato ricer) or mash with a fork.
3. Allow the potatoes to cool a bit so they’re not hot, but still warm.
4. Cover potatoes with flour and use your hands to mix the potatoes and flour to make a dough.
5. Make a ring with the potato mash.
6. Add flour to the board you are working on to avoid sticking.
7. Add the egg to the center of the ring along with 3 pinches of salt.
8. With a fork, whisk the raw egg in the center. Then with your hands, fold the dough to mix in the egg. Add flour as needed so it doesn’t stick to your hands.
9. Once all the ingredients are evenly mixed, pull or cut off a piece of the dough and set the rest aside.
10. Roll the small section into a long thin roll.
11. Cut roll into smaller sections, about 1 inch long each. These will be the size of your gnocchi, and the smaller the better. They look like little pillows.
12. Cover a baking sheet or cutting board with flour.
13. Take each individual gnocchi and roll on the gnocchi paddle (or use a fork) to add ridges to your dumpling but maintaining the pillow shape (don’t roll it into a ball).
14. After rolling each gnocchi, place on the floured baking sheet or cutting board.
15. Repeat process with the rest of the dough.
16. Bring a medium size pot of water to a boil.
17. Use a large cooking spoon to carefully set the gnocchi in the boiling water to not splash hot water all over yourself.
18. Stir the water frequently. The gnocchi do not take much time to cook and they will let you know when they’re done. They will float to the top of the water (some will even pop up to the surface).
19. As they come to the surface, remove them with a slotted spoon (to drain the water).
20. Place them in a large bowl to add sauce later, or add them directly to a pot of sauce. Once they are mixed with sauce, they are ready to serve.
*Gnocchi paddles are difficult to find in everyday stores, so unless you’re planning a trip to Italy, look at more gourmet kitchenware stores or online
Gnocchi go well with just about any pasta sauce - pesto, marinara, or even a cheese sauce. Next week I’ll share the recipe we learned to make - Gorgonzola cheese sauce!
Cheers!
Heather D. Panico
Gnocchi is a tasty potato dumpling that can be served in a variety of sauces. Though it’s a dish that takes hours in the kitchen to prepare, it is well worth the effort. I always like to invite friends and family to join in - it’s more fun with others and makes the process go faster.
Time: Approx. 3 hours
Ingredients
600 g. bulk potatoes (150 g/potato), washed
About 1 cup (200 g) flour
One egg
Salt
Recommended tools
Potato ricer
Gnocchi paddle*
Instructions
1. Boil potatoes with their skins left on for 40 minutes in a large pot of water (pressure cooker 15 min).
2. Squash potatoes with the “schiaccia patate” (potato ricer) or mash with a fork.
3. Allow the potatoes to cool a bit so they’re not hot, but still warm.
4. Cover potatoes with flour and use your hands to mix the potatoes and flour to make a dough.
5. Make a ring with the potato mash.
6. Add flour to the board you are working on to avoid sticking.
7. Add the egg to the center of the ring along with 3 pinches of salt.
8. With a fork, whisk the raw egg in the center. Then with your hands, fold the dough to mix in the egg. Add flour as needed so it doesn’t stick to your hands.
9. Once all the ingredients are evenly mixed, pull or cut off a piece of the dough and set the rest aside.
10. Roll the small section into a long thin roll.
11. Cut roll into smaller sections, about 1 inch long each. These will be the size of your gnocchi, and the smaller the better. They look like little pillows.
12. Cover a baking sheet or cutting board with flour.
13. Take each individual gnocchi and roll on the gnocchi paddle (or use a fork) to add ridges to your dumpling but maintaining the pillow shape (don’t roll it into a ball).
14. After rolling each gnocchi, place on the floured baking sheet or cutting board.
15. Repeat process with the rest of the dough.
16. Bring a medium size pot of water to a boil.
17. Use a large cooking spoon to carefully set the gnocchi in the boiling water to not splash hot water all over yourself.
18. Stir the water frequently. The gnocchi do not take much time to cook and they will let you know when they’re done. They will float to the top of the water (some will even pop up to the surface).
19. As they come to the surface, remove them with a slotted spoon (to drain the water).
20. Place them in a large bowl to add sauce later, or add them directly to a pot of sauce. Once they are mixed with sauce, they are ready to serve.
*Gnocchi paddles are difficult to find in everyday stores, so unless you’re planning a trip to Italy, look at more gourmet kitchenware stores or online
Gnocchi go well with just about any pasta sauce - pesto, marinara, or even a cheese sauce. Next week I’ll share the recipe we learned to make - Gorgonzola cheese sauce!
Cheers!
Heather D. Panico
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