Homemade Gnocchi Recipe – How to Make Homemade Gnocchi
I have long been a fan of potato gnocchi. The best homemade gnocchi I have ever had were made by an old boyfriend’s mother. They were light and airy and were heaven on a plate. The worst ones were at a restaurant in Rome. Yes Rome, Italy. That was very disappointing. They were leaden globs of undercooked dough. Oddly enough I have never tried to make the little potato dumplings myself. It was about time I taught myself how.
I started researching recipes and found I lacked one vital piece of kitchen equipment – a potato ricer. In all of my life I have never owned, nor used a potato ricer. I think there are two sides when it comes to these things; you are either a food mill family or a ricer family. I grew up with a mother who used a food mill. The hubby’s mother a ricer.
Guess who won in our combined kitchen. Read on for how to make this delightful Italian comfort food.
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But the time has come. If I wanted to make gnocchi I would have to surrender and buy a potato ricer. And so I did. Once it arrived I could take what I learned in my reading and go forth and erm, gnocchi.
Homemade Gnocchi
For the Gnocchi
1 pound of potatoes
1/4 pound of 00 flour or all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg yolk
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Making Homemade Gnocchi:
- Preheat oven to 35o
- Bake the potatoes until they are just soft. Wrap the potato(es) in foil. Be sure to cut into the potato so it won’t explode in the oven. Add a little water to the foil pack to steam/bake the potato)
3. When the potato(es) are done, peel them and cut into chunks.
5. Add about 3/4s of the flour and the salt and start mixing.
6. Then mix in the egg yolk. You want to create a dough that just comes together, is still slightly sticky and is not dry. You might not need all of the flour – I did not.
7. Knead the dough for 30 seconds to a minute – DO NOT OVERKNEAD.
8. Cut the dough into six pieces.
9. Carefully roll each piece into a snake like roll about as wide as your index finger.
10. Using a bench knife or other type of knife cut the ropes into small pillows about 1/2″ big
11. If desired gently press the gnocchi into the tines of a fork.
12. Heat a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil – you don’t want it to be too active.
13. Add half of the gnocchi. Wait for them to rise to the top and then let them simmer for three minutes.
14. Carefully drain the gnocchi for use in your recipe.
How Were the Homemade Gnocchi?
I was pleased for a first effort. They weren’t as light and airy as they could have been but they weren’t the heavy globs of goop I had in Italy. In all of my research I learned that the egg yolk would make them heavier but until one is more experienced it was wise to rely on it as a binder. So maybe after a few more gnocchi dinners I’ll be able to get where I want to be.
I used the gnocchi in two different methods of cooking over the next couple of nights. I will be sharing them as I update the recipes. Each one is very different from the other but both were easy to make and delicious so be on the lookout! One uses a simple saute with butter and sage, the other has the gnocchi baking with mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce.
If you are looking for other tasty pasta alternatives for your dinners may I also suggest Testaroli with Pesto or Polenta Cakes with Roasted Vegetables.
