For Christmas, Brad gave me a virtual gnocchi making class from King Arthur Baking. I had no clue what to expect but was excited. It was really well done and the result is DELICIOUS. We have a favorite restaurant in the North End that makes the most incredible gnocchi and I'm not hesitant to say that it could compete with theirs. It's a process but not difficult and very very proud of myself. Also, I adore kitchen gadgets and weighing ingredients so it worked really well here.
Ingredients:
454 grams (about 2-4 medium-large sized) Russet potatoes - 1 pound (I suggest making 4 just to be safe)
120 grams (1 cup) all purpose flour
28 grams (1/4 cup) freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. salt
Coat the potatoes in olive oil and kosher salt and bake at 425 for 1 hour or until a knife easily goes through the potato. (The weight for the potatoes is given before baking, skins on.) Let cool but while still warm, scoop out the meat of the potato and press through a ricer or mash well.
Spread the potatoes in a mound just bigger than the size of your hand and create a well in the center. Put the salt, eggs and cheese in the well and soft about 3/4 of the flour over the entire potato mass. (Working directly on a clean counter is advised.) Without kneading, combine the ingredients. Highly recommend using a metal bench scraper to chop through the ingredients and then folding them in on each other. (Strongly suggest you look up some YouTube videos for a better idea.) If the dough is way too sticky, add more flour. The dough will not be smooth like a bread dough but will be less sticky and shaggy than when you started.
Let the dough rest at room temp for 30 minutes.
Prep your boiling water. Fill a pot with water, add a good amount of salt; cover and heat. If you need to turn it down while you're waiting for the gnocchi, that's fine. But at least it's ready.
Get a lot of flour ready for this so you don't have to stop and get more - just have some in a corner ready to use. Get your hands floured and get the ball of dough. Cut it into four sections. Working with one section at a time, roll the dough into a long snake-like rope. It won't be super thin or super long and that's ok. Use your hands to press out and roll it with your entire hand instead of just the heel. Once your rope is about 18" long, cut it into small pieces. Smaller is definitely better. Take each piece and you roll it down a gnocchi board of the back of a long fork - when you press it will fold over on itself which is the goal. The idea is for these little guys to trap sauce as much as possible.
When you have finished that section of dough, keep that gnocchi well floured so it doesn't start to stick. Repeat with the other sections of the dough until you've done them all.
If you aren't planning on eating the gnocchi immediately, this is when you can freeze them for later. Put them on parchment paper on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze until solid. Put in a bag and then pull out when you want them.
Using a slotted spoon, (this is handy to transfer them into the boiling water as well), add them to the boiling water - wait until they float and then add another minute. Add immediately to sauce or serve.
Simplest, easiest, most delicious red sauce ever.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, slivered
2 c. diced tomatoes, canned
4 oz fresh mozzarella cut into 1/4" cubes
2 Tbsp fresh basil leaves torn into small pieces
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
other ingredients to taste (olives, prosciutto, bacon, whatever you want!)
Place the olive oil in a large sauce pan, over medium heat. Add the slivered garlic and cook until the garlic just starts to brown. Add then tomatoes and their juices and cook over low heat for about 10 minute - until reduced and thicker. Add any other additions and warm though. Carefully add the gnocchi to the saute pan, tossing gently until sauce is bubbling. Add the mozzarella and basil, season with salt and pepper. When cheese is melted, serve immediately.
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