POTATO GNOCCHI
One of the great classics of home cooking is certainly POTATO GNOCCHI, a first course made by grandmothers in every family, made with simple ingredients and loved by young and old alike.
Gnocchi are prepared all over Italy from North to South and follow local traditions: in Naples they are dressed alla Sorrentina with tomato and mozzarella, in Rome they are, for example, the Thursday dish, in Piedmont they are enjoyed with melted Toma cheese and I could go on for hours.
Regardless of the sauce you choose, what these dishes have in common is that Potato Gnocchi are simple and wholesome, and their delicate flavor makes them ideal to be paired with any sauce because they will always be delicious.
The recipe for Potato Gnocchi is not difficult but you need to know a few simple tricks to make them with the right texture: firm but not gummy, light but not soft, that hold up in cooking — in short, homemade gnocchi that would make your grandma proud!
Follow the recipe and I will explain how to avoid the most common mistakes when making Potato Gnocchi, such as which type of potato to choose, how to boil them, how much flour to add to the dough, how to shape the gnocchi and much more.
And if you want some ideas for sauces, here are a few recipes below
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4-6 people
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 167.21 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 37.47 (g) of which sugars 1.28 (g)
- Proteins 5.14 (g)
- Fat 0.29 (g) of which saturated 0.02 (g)of which unsaturated 0.04 (g)
- Fibers 2.65 (g)
- Sodium 453.84 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 125 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2.2 lb potatoes (red or old white)
- 2.5 cups type 00 flour
- 2 tsp fine salt
Tools
- Pot
- Potato masher
Directions
Before you start, to get Potato Gnocchi with the right consistency I recommend choosing either red potatoes (mealy and high in starch but low in water) or older white-fleshed potatoes; never use new potatoes.
Place the potatoes, unpeeled, in a large pot, cover them with cold water, and cook over medium heat. From the moment the water starts to boil, count about 30 minutes depending on their size (test with a fork; it should sink in without resistance). When ready, drain and peel them while still hot.
On a work surface (or in a bowl) sift the flour into a mound and press the hot potatoes through a potato masher in the center of the flour, add a pinch of salt and start kneading by hand. Incorporate the flour little by little, working the dough until it becomes elastic and homogeneous. The amount of flour may vary slightly depending on the type of potato you use. Knead until you obtain a soft but compact dough (if you work it too much the gnocchi will become tough during cooking).
Take a portion of dough and roll it with your hands to form ropes about 3/4 inch thick; if necessary, lightly dust the work surface with semolina. Cut the ropes into bite-sized pieces. If you have a gnocchi board, drag the pieces across it with light pressure from your thumb to get the classic shape (you can also drag them across the tines of a fork). As you prepare them, arrange the gnocchi on a lightly floured tray. Now you are ready to cook them: simply drop them into gently salted boiling water and cook for about 3 minutes — when cooked they float to the surface. Drain them and dress with the sauce you prefer. I like them with GENOVESE BASIL PESTO!
Regarding potato gnocchi with eggs: although it is not the most traditional version, this ingredient is often added to the dough. Generally, the ratio to follow for Potato Gnocchi with eggs is: 1 whole egg for every 2.2 lb (1 kg) of potatoes, to be added together with the other ingredients at the start.
NOTES AND TIPS
POTATOES: The ideal potatoes for GNOCCHI are red ones, but older white-fleshed potatoes are also fine; the important thing is that they are not new potatoes because those contain too much water. Ideal potatoes are high in starch and low in water so you will need less flour to knead them. A very common mistake is overboiling the potatoes: if you do so, water will penetrate the fibers making the potatoes too watery, and you will need an excessive amount of flour which will make the gnocchi heavy and dense. Finally, do not work the potatoes when they are boiling hot; let them cool slightly because the hotter they are the more they will absorb the flour.
FLOUR: The amount of flour can vary slightly depending on the type of potato you use, so add it to the potatoes little by little. You must obtain a soft but compact dough and remember that if you work it too much the gnocchi will become hard during cooking. Using too much flour in the gnocchi dough is the most widespread mistake and can compromise the final result. The general rule is that the right percentage is about 30% flour relative to the weight of the potatoes. Adding too much will make the dough excessively firm and you will get gnocchi that are too hard. The perfect dough must be soft and elastic. Work it as little as possible (2 minutes are enough) to avoid developing gluten which would make the gnocchi gummy.
COOKING POTATOES IN THE MICROWAVE: To shorten the time instead of boiling the potatoes you can cook them in the microwave. To do this, peel the potatoes, cut them into cubes, place them in a microwave-safe dish and add about 1/4 cup of water. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and cook in the microwave at 750W for about 10–15 minutes. Check doneness with a fork.
IMPORTANT: Remember that once made, Potato Gnocchi should be cooked immediately and not left to rest or the dough will become soft because the potatoes will start releasing their water. Alternatively, you can freeze them (see note below). They require a very short cooking time (2 to 3 minutes) and are generally ready as soon as they rise to the surface.
HOW TO FREEZE POTATO GNOCCHI: If you decide to make homemade gnocchi you can make a larger quantity and store them so they’re ready when needed. To freeze raw gnocchi, place them spaced out on a tray, then cover with plastic wrap and put them in the freezer. Once frozen, remove them from the tray and place them in a freezer bag. With this method they keep for up to 3 months. When needed, cook them directly in slightly salted boiling water without thawing.
STORAGE
Raw potato gnocchi can be kept at room temperature for up to a couple of hours. If you don’t use them immediately, I recommend freezing them (see note above for instructions).
What is the ideal flour for making gnocchi?
The ideal flour for preparing potato gnocchi is common type 00 flour.
How much gnocchi per person?
Being fresh pasta and not dried, the recommended portion of Potato Gnocchi per person varies from about 120 to 150 g (raw weight), which is roughly 4.2 to 5.3 oz per person.
Why do gnocchi float when they are cooked?
Potato gnocchi float when cooked because, when exposed to boiling water, the starch changes and the gnocchi acquire a lower specific weight than water.
Who invented potato gnocchi?
Gnocchi have very ancient origins and come from northern Italy, particularly the regions of Piedmont, Lombardy and Veneto. They originated as a peasant dish and their introduction dates back to when potatoes were imported to Italy from the Americas.
