Traditional Gnocchi
Gnocchi, seemingly an easy thing to make with just 3 ingredients. However, to make a great gnocchi, it’s all in the details. We recently made the Thomas Keller version of gnocchi. It turned out very well but it was a bit of a challenge to make. Come see our experience making gnocchi.
Bake the potatoes over a bet of salt. Do not wrap in foil. As we learned from a great chef, you want to bake potatoes, not steam them so do not wrap in foil. After baking for about an hour, remove and let cool slightly. Don’t let the potatoes fully cool or they will be difficult to work with. Remove the potato from the skin.
Right on a clean countertop, rice the potatoes . Next make a well and add the egg and flour. Then work the it all together until a dough forms. Using your hands make a bit of a log.
From the long log cut into smaller pieces and roll into short long ropes. Cut each rope into inch long pieces.
The Gnocchi board below can be purchased at local kitchen stores. We bought this one at Sur la Table. Roll the pieces down carefully and create the gnocchi with the ridges.
After they gnocchi are complete, cook by boiling until they float, for just a few minutes. Remove. These can be frozen, separating with sheets of parchment.
The cooked gnocchi can be then pan fried in a bit of oil, before adding your chosen ingredients.
Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Butternut Squash
It is another TK recipe we made with these gnocchi. This is one of may recipes that can be made with these delicious gnocchi.
They were a bit of a challenge but well worth it!
Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 3 Russet Potatoes
- 3 Egg Yolks
- Flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pierce the potatoes with a fork to allow moisture to escape while baking. Pour a generous mound of salt onto the center of a baking sheet to stabilize the potatoes and set the potatoes on top.
- Bake for one hour and use a paring knife to test for doneness. They should be soft and completely cooked. Brush off the excess salt and begin the process for making gnocchi while the potatoes are still hot.
- Scoop the potato flesh out of its jacket while still hot and moist, and push through the potato ricer onto your work surface. Form a well with the riced potato, much as you would for pasta dough, and sprinkle with flour. Add the egg yolks, season with salt, and sprinkle with flour; then use the bench scraper to mix in the ingredients. Begin to form a ball of dough, working gently. Do not knead—this will activate the gluten and make gummy gnocchi. The finished ball of dough should be soft to the touch and hold the imprint of your finger.
- Use your fingers, not your palms, to roll and stretch the dough out to a rope the diameter of your preference. Cut the roll into pieces the size that you’d like your gnocchi to be, and then roll each piece into a ball. Gently roll each ball onto the gnocchi paddle to form an ovular-shaped gnocchi with ridges, letting each piece fall from the paddle onto the sheet pan. Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer and add a gnocchi. Test for texture.
- If the gnocchi falls apart, it may need a little more flour and working of the dough. If the gnocchi is heavy and dense, there is not much you can do other than make observations and use this information to prevent this from occurring in subsequent batches.
- As with any dumpling, the gnocchi will float to the top when done. Skim the gnocchi into an ice bath then drain on a paper towel–lined sheet pan. If you plan on freezing the gnocchi, transfer them to a parchment-lined sheet pan that has been lightly sprayed with vegetable oil. You can either serve your gnocchi right away, refrigerate and use within two days, or freeze and store in an airtight freezer bag for future use.
Simple, fresh ingredients come together in a single skillet for a delicious traditional Italian family dish.