Gnocchi
Simple process with impressive payouts. Don't let the prep time scare you - it includes boiling the potatoes and adequate time to let them cool. Simply add whisked egg and flour, roll out, cut, and boil.
Equipment
- 1 pasta pot
- 1 potato masher
- 1 slotted spoon
- 1 saucepan if making butter sauce
Ingredients
- 8 medium potatoes
- 1.5 teaspoon salt addition salt can be added to the water if desired
- 1.5 teaspoon pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups flour extra for dusting your dough work surface
- 4 Tbsp butter if making sauce
- 4 cloves diced garlic if making sauce
- Romano or parmesan cheese optional for serving
Instructions
- Prepare clean work surface for working your dough (will need at step 6)
- Peel potatoes - I have found after cooking if is easiest to use my fingers to rub off the skin, but you can use a peeler, if preferred (this can be more messy as the potato meat gets stuck in the peeler). Place the peeled potatoes back into the pot (or other large bowl) and mash them with your potato masher. Mash until no large lumps remain.
- Whisk and add egg to potatoes - you can whisk it in a separate bowl and add to the potatoes or, to save dirtying a dish, make a well in the middle of the potatoes, add the egg, and whisk it before incorporating.
- Mix the eggs, salt, pepper, and potatoes together until well incorporated.
- On your clean work surface, place 1 cup of flour large. Keep the remaining flour at hands reach in case it is needed (pending the size of your potatoes you may or may not need more flour). Spread it large enough to encompass your potato and egg mixture, as shown below.
- Knead the dough and the flour together, gently incorporating the flour into the dough and stopping when your dough has become less sticky and can hold together. If your dough remains sticky and will not hold shape, slowly incorporate the additional 1/2 cups flour, or more, until you reach a workable consistency.
- Remove any sticky dough pieces from your work surface. The area should be lightly floured but smooth for rolling your dough and have a lightly floured area for storage of your completed gnocchi while you work. Tip: This is also a good time to wash out your pot, add water, and bring to a boil. This way you can go straight to cooking your gnocchi after step 11.
- Separate your dough ball into 4 parts. Roll out one piece as your would a clay snake, you are aiming for about 1 in in diameter. If your dough snake becomes too long for your work surface, cut it in half and handle one section at a time.
- Divide your dough snake into 1/2 in sections (doesn't have to be perfect). The dough should be soft enough that a butter knife will do the job. Set your individual gnocchi aside on a lightly floured area while you continue to work.
- Repeat this process with the rest of your dough until all has been divided into ~1/2 in sections.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil (snaps to you if you started this during step 6). Add the gnocchi in batches for each bake (you don't want to overcrowd) and stir to make sure they aren't sticking to the pan. Boil the batch until the gnocchi are floating to the top, which indicates they are cooked. With your slotted spoon, remove the gnocchi after they float for ~30 seconds. Continue until all the gnocchi are cooked.
Notes
Easy sauce option: butter and garlic
- Place your pan over medium heat and add the butter until melted. Added the diced garlic, stirring until fragrant (~ 1 minute). '
- Add gnocchi to the pan and toss, allowed the gnocchi to develop a light golden color.
- Remove from heat and serve. Sprinkle with Romano or parmesan cheese, if desired.
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