A Recipe for Classic Potato Gnocchi

Name: Traditional Italian Homemade Gnocchi
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 pounds of russet potato; 1 egg; 1 egg yolk; 1/3 cup of grated parmesan cheese; 1 teaspoon of salt; A pinch of ground nutmeg; 2 cups of flour

This gnocchi recipe creates light and fluffy potato pillows which are the perfect vehicles for serving delicious sauces, such as marinara, pesto or cheese sauce.

Italian Cuisine

April 14, 2021

Difficulty Medium

Servings 4 people

Preparation 30 mins

Cooking 60 mins

Total 90 mins

Recipe Contents

Recipe Video Ingredients Directions Nutrition Equipments Tips

Traditional Italian Homemade Gnocchi Recipe Video

Ingredients

2 pounds of russet potato
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup of grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon of salt
A pinch of ground nutmeg
2 cups of flour

Directions

Preheat an oven to 400°F and place the russet potatoes onto a baking tray.
Use a knife to score a line along the outside of the potatoes then transfer to the preheated oven, bake for 45 minutes until tender.
Remove the potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool for 2 minutes.
Whilst wearing kitchen gloves or holding a kitchen cloth use a paring knife to peel the skin from the cooked potatoes.
Place the peeled potatoes into a potato ricer and press onto a baking tray, allow the potatoes to cool at room temperature.
Then add the egg, egg yolk and parmesan to the potatoes, sieve over the salt, nutmeg and flour.
Use a bread scraper and your hands to chop the ingredients and bring together in a dough.
Knead the gnocchi for 1 minute until a smooth, uniform dough.
Divide the dough into 6 and use your to roll each piece of dough into a rope shape, approximately 1-inch in thickness.
Use a dough scraper or knife to cut the dough into 1-inch individual potato gnocchi.
Place the rolled gnocchi onto a baking tray and cover with a kitchen cloth, continue rolling and cutting until all of the gnocchi are prepared.
Set a saucepan on high heat and fill with water, season generously with salt.
Bring the water to a boil then add the homemade potato gnocchi.
Cook the gnocchi for 2 minutes, they are ready once they float to the surface.
Strain the gnocchi through a colander and they are ready.
To serve immediately transfer the gnocchi to a pan of warm sauce and toss together.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 Traditional Italian Homemade Gnocchi

Serves 4

Amount Per Serving

Calories419

% Daily Value*

Cholesterol 109 mg36.3%

Sodium 745 mg32.4%

Potassium 574 mg12.2%

Protein 16.3 g32.6%

Total Fat 6.4 g8.2%

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Tips

Score the potatoes before baking to speed up the cooking process and draw out extra moisture. A drier mashed potato will result in light gnocchi which are easily held together rather than soggy gnocchi that falls apart which can happen if your dough is too wet.
Allow the mashed potatoes to cool at room temperature, as the potato steams dry the moisture will be released ensuring light and fluffy gnocchi.
Use leftover potatoes or mashed potatoes to create easy and delicious homemade gnocchi. Simply skip the baking steps and begin to form the dough.
Depending on the size of the saucepan, cook the gnocchi in batches to maintain the temperature of the water and avoid the gnocchi from breaking when boiling.

Rate This Recipe

There are many regional and personal variations for preparing potato gnocchi with endless options of fillings, shapes and sauces. Our homemade gnocchi recipe keeps it simple with a light texture and flavor, ready to be tossed through a rich sauce or packaged away and saved for a later date.

Equipment for this recipe

Sieve

Saucepan

Whisker

Mixing Bowls

What is Gnocchi?

Photo By Canva

Gnocchi is an Italian potato dumpling used interchangeably with pasta in many recipes. Homemade gnocchi is essentially made using mashed potato, flour and egg which are brought together to form a dough and then rolled into separate dumplings. Pronounced “nyawk-kee”, the potato gnocchi is named from the Italian word “nocchio” which means a knot in wood, the naming of the potato dumpling is in reference to its similar appearance to a knot.

What Do You Eat with Gnocchi?

Potato gnocchi pairs well with many traditional Italian pasta sauces, with the most iconic being; sage and brown butter, butternut squash, pomodoro, ragu, pesto and creamy parmesan sauce. Any sauce can be an accompaniment to gnocchi but the best option is a sauce which is rich, bold and thick enough to luxuriously coat each individual gnocchi.

Is Gnocchi a Pasta or Potato?

Gnocchi is considered by most as both a pasta and potato but technically would not fall into the pasta category. Instead potato gnocchi is a dumpling which is kneaded lightly to create air pockets, when the gnocchi is then cooked the dumplings fill with steam and are propelled to the surface of the water.

The version of gnocchi made with ricotta cheese would be closer to a traditional pasta technique and many Italians will refer to gnocchi as pasta. In Italian pasta translates to mean “kneaded” or “dough” which is still a true description for potato gnocchi.

How To Pre-cook Gnocchi?

The gnocchi should be blanched or frozen as soon as it is rolled to maintain the light and fluffy texture. If you are not yet ready to serve then pre-cooking is the best method to prepare your gnocchi. Simply bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook the gnocchi for 2 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked gnocchi to a bowl of iced water. Chill the gnocchi for 2 minutes and line a baking tray with a kitchen cloth. Strain the potato gnocchi and place onto the baking tray, cover with kitchen cloth then cover in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the gnocchi for up to 3 days ready to be finished by reheating in a warm, rich sauce.

How To Freeze Gnocchi?

Freeze gnocchi straight after rolling by placing on a baking tray which is lightly dusted with flour. Arrange the gnocchi in a single layer and place the baking tray in the freezer for 1 hour until set. Once the gnocchi are frozen use a spatula to release them from the baking tray, then transfer to an airtight bag such as a zip lock. Freeze the homemade gnocchi for up to 8 weeks then cook straight from the freezer in a few minutes.

How To Cook Frozen Gnocchi?

Cook frozen potato gnocchi in the same method that is used for cooking fresh gnocchi. Place a large saucepan on the heat and fill with salted water. Once the water is boiling, add a packet of frozen gnocchi and bring back to a boil, remove the gnocchi when they float to the surface. Then serve the cooked gnocchi tossed in your favorite sauce.

Recipe byPetite Gourmets