Basic Potato Dumplings (Gnocchi)
Submitted by erika_0222
Homemade Italian potato gnocchi from baked potatoes, egg yolk, and flour. Fork-pressed, boiled until they float, and served with butter and Parmesan. Pillowy dumplings from scratch.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minMaking gnocchi from scratch is one of those kitchen rituals that feels meditative once you get the hang of it. Rolling, cutting, pressing each little pillow against the tines of a fork until you’ve got a tray full of ridged dumplings waiting for their bath.
The secret starts with baking the potatoes instead of boiling them. Baked potatoes hold less water, which means you need less flour, which means lighter, more tender gnocchi.
Rice them while warm, work in the egg yolk and flour with a gentle hand, then roll, cut, and mark.
They cook in about a minute. The moment they float to the surface, give them ten more seconds and pull them out. Overcook them and they turn to waterlogged mush.
Butter and freshly grated Parmesan is the classic finish, but any sauce you love works here.
Pro Tips
- Use a ricer or food mill, never a masher. A masher leaves lumps that create dense pockets in the dough. A ricer gives you a perfectly smooth base.
- Add flour gradually and stop as soon as the dough holds together. Too much flour makes rubbery gnocchi. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Press each gnocchi against the back of a fork to create ridges. These grooves catch sauce and look gorgeous on the plate.
- Pull the gnocchi from the water immediately after they float. They absorb moisture faster than regular pasta and get soggy within seconds of overcooking.
Ingredients
Directions
Puncture potatoes in several places with a fork. Bake 1 hour in a 350℉ (180℃) oven or until tender. Remove and discard skins. Mash potatoes through a ricer or food mill into a large bowl, and let cool a little.
Add egg yolk, salt, and 2 cups flour. Mix well. Knead dough on work surface or board into a ball. It should be soft and a little sticky. If it’s too sticky, add a little flour. Lightly flour surface and hands.
Break dough into egg-size pieces. Roll until thickness of thumb. Cut roll into 1-inch pieces. Push each Gnocchi against the back of a fork to imprint a pattern.
This helps them absorb more sauce (and makes them a little prettier).
Arrange them on a floured tray. Fill a large saucepan ⅔ full with salted water. Bring to a boil. Add oil and dumplings. Stir, to make sure they don’t stick teaspoon bottom. When they come to surface, let them cook 10 to 12 seconds more.
Remove with a slotted spoon as they are done. They get soggy if overcooked (they absorb more moisture than regular pasta).
Serve with butter and Parmesan cheese or your favorite sauce.
Comments
