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Homemade Potato Gnocchi

17/11/2023

Potato gnocchi are a classically Italian dish, much loved and widespread throughout the country. Here’s how you can prepare them:

Ingredients

  • 1 kg of potatoes (preferably starchy)
  • 300 g of 00 flour (the amount can vary based on the type of potatoes and humidity)
  • 1 egg (optional)
  • Salt to taste
  • Nutmeg (optional)

Preparation

  1. Start by boiling the potatoes. You can cook them with their skin on in salted boiling water until they become tender, which usually takes about 30-40 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes.

  2. Once cooked, drain them and let them cool down a bit. Peel the potatoes while they’re still warm and pass them through a potato ricer, collecting the mash on a pastry board.

  3. Add a pinch of salt and, if you like, a dusting of grated nutmeg.

  4. Make a well in the mashed potatoes and add the egg to the center if you decide to use it to make the dough more cohesive.

  5. Start incorporating the flour, working with your hands until you get a smooth and non-sticky dough. Be careful not to overwork the dough, otherwise, the gnocchi will be hard.

  6. Take small portions of the dough and form long cylinders, then cut each cylinder into pieces of about 2 cm.

  7. Press each piece against a gnocchi board or a fork to create the characteristic ridged shape that will help the sauce adhere.

  8. Boil a pot of salted water, and cook the gnocchi in small quantities. The gnocchi are ready when they float to the surface of the water; this usually happens after about 1-2 minutes of putting them in.

  9. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and dress them as you like.

Topping suggestions: Gnocchi lend themselves to multiple condiments, based on taste and season. A classic is tomato sauce with basil. Or you can simply melt some butter with sage and sprinkle with Parmesan. Another delicious variant is to serve them with a sausage ragù or accompanied by mushrooms and cream.

Curiosity

Tradition has it that gnocchi are the dish of Thursday, particularly in Rome, where the typical Thursday dish is gnocchi with tomato sauce.

Homemade Potato Gnocchi