Gnocchi

Gnocchi; little Italian potato dumplings!

Although these tiny treats take a little extra time, they require a small amount of ingredients and go well with almost any style of sauce.

What You Will Need: Russet Potato, Egg & Flour....yup, thats pretty much it.

 You will also need a ricer & a scale. 

Start by washing, wrapping and baking your potatoes for at least an hour, till tender. Allow them to cool so it is earlier for you to handle.

Bring a large pot of water to a simmer to cook the dumplings, along with an ice bath to rapidly cool them down.

Using a small knife, peel the skin off the potato, cut in half and place in the ricer. Press through into a mixing bowl.

My rule of thumb is 1 lb, 1 egg & 1 cup. Weigh out one pound of the pressed potato, add one egg & 1 cup of flour. If you would like to make a flavored gnocchi, this would be when you would add those ingredients. Fresh herbs, a specialty cheese, pepperoni for kids, etc...

Lightly mix with your hands till incorporated. 

Place the dough onto a floured surface and knead together for a couple turns. Don't over work it. You just want to bring the mixture together. 

Using a pastry cutter or a knife, cut off a piece of the dough and using two hands (I had to use one to take the photo), start rolling the dough into a rope shape.

Gnocchi can be made in all different sizes, I aim for about 3/4 inch thickness and about 1 inch pieces. Don't try for perfect, uniform pieces, just eyeball it the best you can.

If you would like to give the gnocchi a more tradition look, use the back of a fork and lightly press into the dumpling. Personally, I choose to skip this step but feel free to add this touch for your dish.

One at a time, drop them into the simmering water. It doesn't take long for them to cook, just a couple minutes. Once they are all floating, scoop them out and place them directly into the ice bath.

(If you don't want to  finish cooking them at this time, cool, drain & toss them in some olive oil before sealing them in a container and keeping them refrigerated.)

After they have all cooled, pat them dry and place a large skillet over medium high heat. Add a drizzle of oil and place the dumplings in a single layer around the pan. Cook them to your liking, I prefer to give them a nice outer crust, still keeping the middle soft and creamy. 

At this point, you can be as creative or as simple as you would like. Toss the seared gnocchi with some parmesan cheese & fresh herbs or coat them in your favorite sauce such as marinara, alfredo or pesto.

I chose to make a simple sauce of homemade creamed corn & crispy bacon with a garnish of fresh basil & parmesan cheese.  

Gnocchi is a special dish for me. When I was an intern at the Riverside Inn in Leland, it was one of the first tasks given to me and I had to repeat the process every, single, day! I swear its a dish I could make in my sleep but every time I eat it, Im taken back to that kitchen, when I was just a young student, busting my butt to prove my worth. 

Its amazing to me that food can provide that instant travel through time moment. How a certain dish, or a combination of flavors & smells can transport you somewhere far, far away. It's without a doubt one of the things I love most of cooking! 

-----------------------------

Enjoy & Always Cook with Love!