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Gnocchi are a Italian potato dumpling that when covered with your favorite red sauce and Ricotta or a simple brown butter sauce, it is the perfect comfort food. Depending on where your family was from in Italy, you may have a different version of gnocchi, but this is roughly the version that we grew up eating. Of course, Grandma never quite told us how to make them. She didn't have a recipe, she just made them. We eventually got her to write down a recipe, but I am not sure she told us everything and the measurements were a little rough. For example, her recipe says to add flour & eggs to potatoes and form into a rope to cut the gnocchi. So, after years of experimenting, this is about as close as we could come to Grandma's Gnocchi recipe. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Kosher Salt (box)
1 lb Russet potatoes
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
Sauce
Ricotta
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
Spread a layer of kosher salt on a baking sheet and arrange the potatoes on top. Bake for 60-75 min till the potatoes are a bit over-cooked. You will want them very soft to run through the ricer.
Let the potatoes sit just long enough until they are cool enough to handle.
Scoop out the potatoes and run through a potato ricer. You will have about 2 cups of potatoes.
Make a mound of potatoes with a well in the middle. Add the 4 egg yolks, cheese, nutmeg, salt & pepper.
Mix well with your hands. Sprinkle a 1/2 cup of flour over the mixture. Using your knuckles, press it into the potatoes. Fold the mixture over on itself and press down again. Sprinkle a little more flour, press down, fold. Continue till the remaining flour is used and/or the dough is just holding together. Try not to overwork the dough.
Take a piece of dough and roll it with your hands into a 1/2 inch in diameter rope. If the dough holds together, it's ready. If not, add more flour.
Lightly flour the working area as you are going to keep things from sticking.
Cut the rope into 1/2 inch pieces.
Roll the gnocchi on a gnocchi board to give them ridges.
Place the gnocchi on a floured backing sheet lined with parchment or wax paper.
Run a fan on low over the gnocchi for 15 min.
To cook, place in boiling water. Once they float, cook for another 90 seconds. Remove and place in a lightly sauced bowl.
Alternatively, you can freeze them and cook the same way when ready.
Notes:
Servings = 1lb of potatoes is enough for a full meal for 2 people or a side dish for 4-5 people.
When using a red sauce, add small scoops of ricotta cheese all over the top of the serving bowl and stir gently to incorporate. A brown butter sauce with fresh parmesan grated on top is also a great way to go.
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