Potato Gnocchi (Authentic Italian Recipe)
An authentic Italian potato gnocchi recipe passed down by my Nonna Chiarina.
Equipment
- 1 ricer
- 1 bench scraper
- 1 pasta pot
- 1 hand strainer
- 1 gnocchi board (optional)
Ingredients
- 3 cups Russet potatoes boiled with skin on, then peeled and riced
- 1 cup all purpose flour to 1 ⅓ cups (150 g) as needed
- 2 Tbsp egg beaten
- sauce of your choice, to serve
- 1 Tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino cheese grated to serve (optional)
Instructions
Make the Potato Gnocchi Dough:
- Be sure to boil, peel and rice the potatoes. When you are ready to make the dough and continue with the recipe. They should be riced when hot, and cooled off quickly.
- Once your potatoes are riced, spread them out on a board or worktop and add the flour on top. Start with the lesser amount of flour as you can always add more. Less flour will result in lighter potato gnocchi.
- Add the beaten egg on top. Using your hands, start incorporating the flour and egg into the potatoes.
- The mixture will form a dough. A bench scraper is useful to keep all the bits of dough in the mixture.
- Once a dough forms, knead it on a flat surface until it is smooth and homogenous, but don't keep kneading it past this point! Also, resist the temptation to add flour unless it's absolutely necessary, or you will end up with tough gnocchi.
Roll and Shape the Potato Gnocchi:
- Slice off a piece of the dough. The size doesn't matter as long as it's not too big. With a little flour on the worktop, start rolling the piece of dough into a long, rope shape. Keep the rest of the dough covered. If you have too much flour on the counter, you'll end up not being able to roll the dough. It's a learn as you go lesson. Roll it so that it's about ¾" (2 cm) in diameter.
- Cut the rope of dough into pieces which are about ¾" (2 cm) each, a little longer is okay, but don't make them shorter than this.
- Once the length of dough is cut into pieces, start rolling the gnocchi on a fork or gnocchi board to give them ridges. The ridges will catch the sauce, and I just think gnocchi without ridges are like zebras without stripes!
- Be sure to use enough flour so that the gnocchi don't stick, and roll them down the front of the fork tines using your index and middle finger to push on the dough, while holding the fork at a 45 degree angle. Do the same if you are using a gnocchi board. Be sure to flour the board before beginning. Continue to cut off pieces of dough and repeat until all the dough is used.
- Gently place the rolled gnocchi on a counter or tray that's lightly dusted with flour, or even better, a fine semolina. Also, try not to let the gnocchi touch each other as this will keep them from sticking together. You'll want to boil the gnocchi sooner than later as if left too long, they can get sticky.
Cook the Gnocchi:
- Boil a large pot of generously salted water. A pasta pot with a strainer insert is great, if not, be sure to have a strainer on hand. When the water is at a rolling boil, put half of the gnocchi into the pot, gently dropping them in as quickly as possible. The bench scraper is a great way to do this without damaging the delicate gnocchi.
- The gnocchi will cook quickly, and when they float to the top, they are ready. You can taste one to make sure the water is salty enough and that the gnocchi are cooked. Do not let them boil for more than a minute once they float or they'll get mushy. Remove with a strainer and place in a serving bowl with a heated sauce in it.
- Repeat with the rest of the potato gnocchi.
- Once all the gnocchi is cooked, mix more sauce into the serving plate and serve immediately. I used a little Revol ramekin for my photos, but the serving size I've shared on this recipe is larger than this. Sprinkle with authentic Italian grated cheese, and some basil if you like.
Video
Notes
- Special equipment: potato ricer, bench scraper, pasta pot, or hand strainer (a gnocchi board is not needed, as you can use a fork).
- Please realize that unless you are well-versed in making gnocchi, your very best bet is to weight the potatoes and flour. Scales are very inexpensive and they are a game-changer for getting good results in baking and recipes like this one. It is almost impossible to be precise when using cups to measure potatoes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 494mg | Potassium: 726mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 466IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 4mg
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