Potato gnocchi
Gnocchi are incredibly popular dish from where I come from, and again this is of no surprise, as the region is so close to Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, regions in Northern Italy where gnocchi actually originated. This is due to a cooler climate that is very well suited for growing potatoes.
I will share here with you my nona Nada's recipe for a basic homemade potato gnocchi that can be served with endless variety of sauces, but the most common are probably melted butter, sage and grated Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese, bolognese sauce, classic tomato sauce, four cheeses sauce and basil pesto. Gnocchi can also be prepared in advance to use for a gnocchi bake.
In Slovenia they are frequently found on the menus in family run restaurants served with different meat roasts and the gravy; the idea behind it is to squash the gnocchi with the fork so they absorb the sauce. When you eat it like that, it is like receiving a hug.
I grew up on them, my nona Nada made tuns of them in her lifetime. I learnt how to make them directly from her, under her strictest supervision of course, apparently I passed!
A lot of people are quite daunted by the idea of making gnocchi from scratch, but I promise you they are much less complicated that is seems, and once you make them yourself and realize how easy it is to make them and how much tastier they are compared to ready made once from the store, you will think twice before buying them.
Before you start, it is crucial that you chose the right type of potato, they need to be starchy with floury texture and minimum content of water, giving you a light and airy dough with gnocchi being soft, delicate with a pillowy texture.
Gnocchi are perfect for both informal or more formal lunches or dinners.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
1kg floury, yellow-fleshed potatoes, e.g. King Edward, Maris Piper, (avoid new potatoes). I use red skin potatoes.
300g all purpose flour (plus extra for flouring the board and working surface)
1 egg, slightly beaten
sea sal, a pincht
Method
Wash the potatoes, with the skin on, under cold running water.
Place the potatoes in a saucepan or a pot, cover with cold water and bring to boil. After the water has come to a boil, cook for about 20 minutes or until tender. Cooking time will obviously vary depending on the size of the potatoes you are using.
Don't pierce them during cooking and don't overcook them allowing the skin to burst as they will absorb too much water.
You might ask yourself why is it so important to use floury, low water content potato and why is it so important that the potatoes do not absorb too much water during the cooking.
It is crucial that the potatoes stay dry, in this way you will only add the necessary flour, having as a finished product a cooked gnocchi that will actually taste of potato, how they should. On the contrary, the wet potatoes will require more flour as the dough will be wetter and stickier resulting in potato gnocchi tasting floury.
There is a very simple way to avoid potatoes absorbing too much water, steam them, and this is my secret, success guaranteed.
Remove from the pot, drain them in a colander and let them cool enough to handle, then remove the skin. If the potatoes are still quite warm to handle, the best way to remove the skin is to stick the fork through the potato and peel it using a knife.
Put the flour on a working surface, add salt and mix with the fork.
Make a well in the middle and pass the potatoes through a potato ricer while still warm as they become stickier when cooler. Allow riced potatoes to cool for a few minutes and then add the egg.
Cut a small piece of the dough; my nona Nada told me that the dough should cut like a loaf of bread, roll it out into a log about 2 cm thick and cut them into pieces.
It is very important that you sprinkle the gnocchi with a bit of flour and gently toss them so they don't stick together.
Repeat the process until you finish all the dough.
Cook them straight away or leave them uncooked for later use. They can stay uncooked for about a maximum of two hours providing you are covering the gnocchi with kitchen towel.
You can also freeze them, see my section Just a thought.
Gnocchi really do cook in a flash. Place them in a large pot of salted boiling water and when they float to the top you know they are cooked.
Drain them in a colander or scoop them out with a slotted spoon, I prefer the latter method as less aggressive with soft and delicate gnocchi.
Add your favourite sauce and serve immediately.
Just a thought
The great thing about gnocchi is that they freeze very well. It is very important that you spread the uncooked gnocchi in a single layer, so they don't stick together, on a well floured wooden board, baking sheet, serving tray or a similar tray.
Put your tray with gnocchi into a freezer for at least 20- 30 minutes and once frozen put them into a freezing bag.
When you want to cook them just drop them frozen directly into a boiling salted water without defrosting them first.