This post is dedicated to my brother. The first time I attempted to make gnocchi was when he came to visit me at Uni once. He got bored and we decided to give gnocchi-making a go. The result wasn't too bad, although not quite the fluffy pillows of potato we were hoping for.
So, this weekend I decided to give gnocchi-making another go. After some research on the Internet, I figured it seemed fairly straight forward and decided to put together a recipe based on a couple that seemed good. I have to say, I think the results are pretty decent, producing rather light and fluffy little dumplings that held sauce well.
Right, let's begin. You'll need...
1.5 kg of Russet potatoes
2 cups of plain flour
1 large egg, lightly beaten
125g ricotta
Pinch of salt and pepper
First, give your potatoes a good scrub and steam them (still in their skins) for about 40 minutes. They are ready when you're able to push a knife through them with just a little resistance, and they should be fully cooked through. You don't want them to be too soft, as you still need a little texture in your dumplings.
Most people seem to say that steaming or baking your potatoes is the best way to make sure you don't get too much moisture into your dough mixture. You really don't want too much moisture in your potatoes, or your dough will be too gummy.
Once your potatoes are cooked through, let them cool for a bit and then remove their skins (while they are still warm). When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, but still warm, grate them into a bowl. If you have a ricer, you could use this instead. You basically want to keep some air in the mixture, so you could mash them but it could produce a heavier gnocchi.
Bunch of grated potatoes. Yummy.
Add the lightly beaten egg and gently combine into the mixture, then stir in the ricotta until it is mixed through. Start to sieve the flour into the potato-mixture, drawing it into the potato bit by bit, until the ingredients have combined into a dough that doesn't stick to your fingers and can be easily drawn together into a large ball, like so...
Ta-daaaa! Dough.
Turn your dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Try not to over-flour the surface, as you don't want to combine too much additional flour into the mixture, or it will make your gnocchi tough and doughy.
Cut the dough into six equal-sized sections.
Like a fluffy potato Stone Henge.
Take one of the sections and, using your fingers, start to roll the dough out into a 3/4 inch thick roll. Try to keep the roll the same thickness throughout.
Start to cut the roll into inch-long pieces.
Messy workspace? Me? Nooooo...
Without overworking the dough, shape your gnocchi pieces as you like them. At this point you could indent them with either a gnocchi-board or using the back tines of a fork.
I'm not going to lie to you...I did attempt to indent them. I do not have a gnocchi-board. Apparently, I do not own appropriate forks for gnocchi-indenting (damn you, flat tines!). I kinda just ended up slightly squashing them... BUT, I did make adorable little pillows...see?
Hello, fluffy little potato pillows!
As you make your gnocchi, place them on a plate or a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, like a little army of potato pillows...
They're coming to get you...
Gathering of potato dumplings...
Once you're done, step back and admire your handiwork. Go on.
Ta-daaaaa! Complete.
At this point, you can cover them with clingfilm and put them in the refrigerator until you need them. They should be eaten within 2-3 hours of them being made. You could also place them in a single layer on a baking tray and freeze them. Once they are individually frozen, pack them into individual batches and store in the freezer - they should keep for up to 2 months.
To cook, bring a pan of salted water to a rolling boil and pop your gnocchi in. Once the gnocchi starts to float to the surface, let them cook for a further 30 seconds and then use a slotted spoon to pull them out. Be careful...don't take your eyes off them! They cook much faster than you think.
Serve in a light sauce like a basil and tomato sauce with some freshly grated parmesan...:
Or quickly sauteed in a brown butter and sage sauce with a bit of pecorino grated over it...:
...Or whatever sauce you like! They would go nicely as a side accompaniment to some grilled meat, as an alternate to potatoes, or just slathered in pesto and parmesan. Yum.
Anyway, hope you give these little treats a go - they are such a delicious, comforting meal.
So, this weekend I decided to give gnocchi-making another go. After some research on the Internet, I figured it seemed fairly straight forward and decided to put together a recipe based on a couple that seemed good. I have to say, I think the results are pretty decent, producing rather light and fluffy little dumplings that held sauce well.
Right, let's begin. You'll need...
1.5 kg of Russet potatoes
2 cups of plain flour
1 large egg, lightly beaten
125g ricotta
Pinch of salt and pepper
First, give your potatoes a good scrub and steam them (still in their skins) for about 40 minutes. They are ready when you're able to push a knife through them with just a little resistance, and they should be fully cooked through. You don't want them to be too soft, as you still need a little texture in your dumplings.
Most people seem to say that steaming or baking your potatoes is the best way to make sure you don't get too much moisture into your dough mixture. You really don't want too much moisture in your potatoes, or your dough will be too gummy.
Once your potatoes are cooked through, let them cool for a bit and then remove their skins (while they are still warm). When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, but still warm, grate them into a bowl. If you have a ricer, you could use this instead. You basically want to keep some air in the mixture, so you could mash them but it could produce a heavier gnocchi.
Add the lightly beaten egg and gently combine into the mixture, then stir in the ricotta until it is mixed through. Start to sieve the flour into the potato-mixture, drawing it into the potato bit by bit, until the ingredients have combined into a dough that doesn't stick to your fingers and can be easily drawn together into a large ball, like so...
Turn your dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Try not to over-flour the surface, as you don't want to combine too much additional flour into the mixture, or it will make your gnocchi tough and doughy.
Cut the dough into six equal-sized sections.
Take one of the sections and, using your fingers, start to roll the dough out into a 3/4 inch thick roll. Try to keep the roll the same thickness throughout.
Start to cut the roll into inch-long pieces.
Without overworking the dough, shape your gnocchi pieces as you like them. At this point you could indent them with either a gnocchi-board or using the back tines of a fork.
I'm not going to lie to you...I did attempt to indent them. I do not have a gnocchi-board. Apparently, I do not own appropriate forks for gnocchi-indenting (damn you, flat tines!). I kinda just ended up slightly squashing them... BUT, I did make adorable little pillows...see?
As you make your gnocchi, place them on a plate or a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, like a little army of potato pillows...
Once you're done, step back and admire your handiwork. Go on.
At this point, you can cover them with clingfilm and put them in the refrigerator until you need them. They should be eaten within 2-3 hours of them being made. You could also place them in a single layer on a baking tray and freeze them. Once they are individually frozen, pack them into individual batches and store in the freezer - they should keep for up to 2 months.
To cook, bring a pan of salted water to a rolling boil and pop your gnocchi in. Once the gnocchi starts to float to the surface, let them cook for a further 30 seconds and then use a slotted spoon to pull them out. Be careful...don't take your eyes off them! They cook much faster than you think.
Serve in a light sauce like a basil and tomato sauce with some freshly grated parmesan...:
Or quickly sauteed in a brown butter and sage sauce with a bit of pecorino grated over it...:
...Or whatever sauce you like! They would go nicely as a side accompaniment to some grilled meat, as an alternate to potatoes, or just slathered in pesto and parmesan. Yum.
Anyway, hope you give these little treats a go - they are such a delicious, comforting meal.
In theory, could you just boil + eat the dough when it's divided into six, as the Biggest Gnocchi Ever?
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