Potato gnocchi is more a potato dumpling than pasta, but we regard it as such anyway. Gnocchi originated in Northern Italy where the climate is perfect for growing potatoes. The potatoes are important here. Gnocchi should be soft and almost melt away in your mouth, for this we need a good starchy potato.
Equipment
- 1 Potato ricer or sieve
Ingredients
- 1 kg starchy potatoes
- 2 small eggs lightly beaten
- 350 g All-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- rice flour for dusting
Instructions
- Steam the potatoes until tender, leaving the skin on. In contrast to boiling, steaming ensures that the potatoes absorb as little moisture as possible.
- Peel and mash the potatoes while they are still hot. Use a potato ricer or a fine sieve to get the best results.
- Make a well in the center of the warm mash and add the salt, egg, nutmeg and 250 grams of flour. Mix well and stop once the dough comes together. Do not add more flour unless you feel the dough is too wet. As potatoes differ in starchiness and water content, there is no exact measurement. The dough should be soft but workable.
- Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. From this point forward you will have to periodically dust your hands, and the work surface, with flour to stop the dough from sticking to it. I suggest using rice flour for this purpose.
- Flatten the dough out with the palms of your hands (1.5cm thick).
- Cut the flattened dough into 1.5cm thick strips and shape the strips into long cigars by rolling them gently over the work surface.
- Lay the "cigars" next to each other in groups of three and trim the ends off with a knife. Cut the "cigars" into 1.5 cm nuggets.
- With mild pressure, roll the nuggets over a gnocchi paddle or the back of a fork. The grooves created by this process will help trap sauce and enhance the taste of your gnocchi. There's no need to strive for perfection - a little imperfection adds a rustic and homemade touch!
- To cook: Bring some salted water to a boil and add your gnocchi. After a few moments they will rise to the top. Allow them another minute to cook through properly and firm up slightly, especially if they are frozen.
- Scoop the gnocchi out of the water using a slotted spoon, do not drain it into a colander. Enjoy with your sauce of choice.
- Note that the texture of gnocchi should be light and fluffy, it is not a true pasta and therefore should not be al dente.
Notes
Gnocchi can be frozen on trays, transferred to plastic bags and kept frozen for later use. Simply cook them from frozen.