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Gnocchi are small Italian potato dumplings that serve as a great starter to a meal or as a main course. All that is required for potato gnocchi are two large floury potatoes, some butter, flour and an egg yolk – besides some salt to taste. Spinach gnocchi is a little more elaborate as it requires spinach, ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese, amongst other ingredients. Plain potato gnocchi can be served with a tomato-based Italian pasta sauce.

Potato gnocchi ingredients

Measure out between 250 to 300 grams of sifted flour and 15 grams of butter. Then gather two large floury potatoes and separate an egg to retrieve the egg yolk.

Potato gnocchi method

Using salted water, boil the potatoes until they are soft. Once they are drained, peel the skins off and work the potatoes through a metal sieve with a metal spoon. Incorporate the butter, stir in the egg yolk and a touch of salt to taste.

Gradually incorporate the flour until the dough is firm or add more flour if the dough is still too runny. You can use a food processor or a potato masher for this.

Shape small pieces of the dough into sausage-shaped rolls that are one centimetre thick and about two and a half centimetres long. Place each one on a floured work surface and lightly dust the finished batch with flour.

Allow the potato gnocchi to dry for no less than an hour and then cook the gnocchi in small batches. This will prevent them from sticking to each other. Use a large pot with salted water and cook them for about twenty minutes or so – the gnocchi will rise to the surface of the water once they are cooked.

Whatever sauce you use, sprinkle some grated parmesan on top of the dish to finish it off.

Tags: cooking