Not gonna lie, making gnocchi is a PITA! Rolling out a thousand tiny dough pillows is not something you’re going to do for a typical quick weeknight pasta dinner, but when that fluffy little potato ball melts in your mouth, you’ll understand why this is such a labor of love.
Since this is a dish that does take some effort, my recipe will make four generous servings with enough left over to freeze for 2 or 3 more dinners (more on that later).
Homemade Gnocchi
Ingredients
Instructions
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Boil the Potatoes
Lightly scrub potatoes to remove any dirt. Add to a large pot of cold, salted water and bring to boil over medium-high heat.
Boil potatoes until extremely tender (90 min - 2 hours). Drain and run under cold water until cool enough to handle. Peel and rice the potatoes.
It might seem like a better idea to peel the potatoes before boiling them, but the skins help the potatoes retain moisture during boiling - this will make for a fluffier dough. For the same reason, don't let the potatoes steam off after boiling. Running them under cold water will keep your potatoes from becoming dry and crumbly. Of course you can hand-mash or whip the potatoes with a mixer, but your best bet is to use a potato ricer. Your gnocchi will be lighter, fluffier, and lump-free. -
Make the Dough
Create a well in the middle and add flour, eggs, and salt. Working by hand, gently knead together until a sticky dough forms.
Add additional flour, a few tablespoons at a time, gently working into dough until it is no longer sticky and you've achieved your desired density. A lighter, fluffier dough is a little harder to roll, but will melt in your mouth. A firmer, more dense dough will be easier to form, but will have heavier, chewier bite. Both ways are good and compliment different types of sauces.
Experiment here, but do not overwork your dough. The more flour and the more you knead it, the tougher your gnocchi will become. Find the balance that suits you. Personally, I work the dough until it feels like a warm marshmellow - light and delicate, but still holds its shape. -
Cut and Roll and Cut and Roll
Cut you dough in half, then in quarters, and then in eights. You should now have 8 baseball-sized dough balls. Working with one ball at a time, flour your work surface and roll the ball into a rope that is 3/4" thick, then cut rope into equal 3/4" pieces. You can use the side of my Gnocchi Paddle as gauge for measuring and cutting your gnocchi.
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Roll, Roll, Roll
Using the face of the Gnocchi Paddle, start at the top and gently roll each cut piece in a downward motion to create grooves on each gnocchi. Set each gnocchi aside in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
If you don't have a gnocchi paddle, you can also use the back of a fork. Set it upside down on your workspace and roll each gnocchi across it a few times. -
Portion, Cook, Freeze
Portion out your gnocchi and add them to a pot of salted boiling water. Gnocchi will be cook when they begin to float (about 8-10 min). Drain.
Pan-sear your gnocchi in butter and/or finish with your favorite sauce - you can search this site for preparation ideas.
To freeze your unused portion, place gnocchi into freezer on the baking sheet. Freeze until gnocchi become hard, then transfer to an air-tight container and return to freezer.
Once my gnocchi have hardened after the initial freeze, I transfer them to a vacuum sealed bag. This allows them to be frozen for an extended period without the risk of freezer burn. To cook your frozen gnocchi, place directly in boiling water - do not thaw. Gnocchi will be ready when they separate and begin to float.