How To Make Gnocchi
Mixture of flour, egg and potato, Gnocchi is a delicious dish. A lot of people find it too hard to prepare, but the reality is different altogether.
Traditionally, it is served as a pasta dish. There are no hard and fast rules though. Among the variations are: semolina, ricotta, pumpkin, sun dried tomato and spinach.
It is very healthy by all means. The inclusion of flour does not make this a heavy meal. Gnocchi digests quickly, and does not put any pressure on the stomach.
Prep Time: 55 min
Cook time: 15 min
Boil time: 5 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 03 servings
Utensils: Burner, sauce pan, kitchen papers, knife, masher, wooden board, frying pan, sieve, serving dish, and gloves (optional).
Ingredients:
Potatoes (neither too floury, nor too waxy): 1 kg or 2 1/4 lb
Egg (optional): 1
Flour (OO flour – very fine flour; or plain flour): 300 g or 10 2/3 oz (2 cups)
Rock salt
Pepper
Oil
Instructions
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1
First of all, boil the potatoes. Take a big saucepan and add enough water to dip the potatoes. Let the water boil, and don’t forget to add a couple of tablespoon of rock salt.
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2
Drain the potatoes, after 15-20 minutes of boiling. Make sure that the potatoes are tender.
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3
Peel them gently with a sharp knife. Don’t wait them to cool down, because a cold potato is always hard to peel. Use a tea towel to hold the potato, and peel away the skin neatly.
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4
Now, it is the time to mash the potatoes. Using a masher is always the best option. However, you can also try passing them through a passatutto (or potato ricer). The main objective is to mash them properly.
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5
Now add the egg and flour to the potatoes. The egg is optional, but it is always better to use it, as it keeps potatoes and flour together. Since the boiled potatoes are still hot, stir the egg quickly because the temperature may cook it. A couple of generous pinches of salt must be added at this stage alongside a pinch of pepper.
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6
Place the whole material on a wooden surface and form a dough. You can also use gloves. Moisturise your hands with a couple of drops of oil before rolling out the dough into lengths, preferably 3cm thick.
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7
At this instance, cut the lengths into small bite-sized pieces. Place the pieces separately because they may stick together.
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8
Boil a few cups of water in a frying pan. Before tapping the gnocchi from the tray into the boiling water, add at least three tablespoons of rock salt.
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9
Wait for the pieces to reach the surface of the pan. Once they have all bobbed to the surface, scope them out with a sieve.
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10
The final step is to stir the gnocchi into a warm sauce of your own choice. A little Pecorino Cheese can be used as a final touch. Enjoy the delicious dish with a glass of wine.