|
more articles like this
In the Kitchen: Gnocchi
updated: May 08, 2010, 9:10 AM
By Leah Etling
Here's a pasta recipe that actually tastes better sans sauce - my favorite topping for fresh made gnocchi is simple melted butter, ground pepper and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Your options for accompaniment are nearly endless, however, from marinara to gorgonzola cream sauce.
Like any dumplings, an even dough consistency and boiling in smallish batches (12-15 pieces each) is key. You'll find that these gnocchi are much softer than anything you might buy pre-made ... a delicious difference!
Potato Gnocchi
(Serves four or two with leftovers)
3 cups finely mashed potatoes, unseasoned
1 ½ cups unsifted flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 eggs slightly beaten
Boil the potatoes for 30 minutes. It's important that they be dry after they come out of the pot, so pat them dry with a kitchen or paper towel. Mash as finely as possible, eliminating all lumps (This is nearly impossible, but you can get pretty close.)
Mix the flour, salt, and olive oil into the potatoes, then add the eggs. The dough will be about the same consistency as fresh pizza dough. Dust a cutting board with flour and turn the dough out onto it, kneading about 15 times. Then roll into cords, about a foot long and an inch thick. Cut into 1 inch long pieces to form the pasta.
When pieces are ready, drop them into a pot of salted boiling water. They should rise to the top within 1-2 minutes. Then they need to boil for five minutes more. Remove with a slotted spoon and place into a pan, already warm in the oven, with 2 tablespoons of melted butter inside. The gnocchi will stay warm until all the batches are done and you are ready to serve.
Other topping suggestions include fresh rosemary, fresh diced tomatoes and basil, pesto, or your favorite pre-made sauce. Enjoy ... and don't discard the leftovers. They are a little harder and just as tasty for lunch the next day.
6 comments on this article. Read/Add
# # # #
|
