In Italian we have a saying which goes: "Giovedí gnocchi, venerdí pesce, sabato trippa" (Thursday gnocchi, Friday fish, Saturday tripe). Gnocchi was traditionally a dish which was cooked and eaten on a Thursday to store up a starchier, more caloric meal before the conventionally Catholic meat-free Friday.
Gnocchi is something which triggers for me fond childhood memories of clambering on one of gran's chairs, with one of her aprons wrapped a few times around me, to reach her massively long dark oak table and "help" her make gnocchi. Looking back, I cannot imagine I could have been much help to her at all - regardless, I was always rewarded by her turning a blind eye to me stuffing some raw gnocchi in my mouth. With such a rich sentimental value, it will come as no surprise to you, that I love gnocchi more than I love rice. Or pasta. Or meat. Potato gnocchi is not the only type featured in the Italian tradition: you'll find gnocchi made with semolina flour (Gnocchi alla romana), stale bread or pumpkin. But potato gnocchi is what I grew up with, so this is what I decided to share with you all.
Yields 3-4 main portions
Ingredients:
- 700 g potatoes (the starchier the potato, the better as it will yield firmer gnocchi)
- 200 g plain flour + extra for dusting and flouring surfaces (use GF flour to cater for intolerances)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoons of table salt
- 3-4 tablespoons of butter (I used vegetable spread as I am lactose intolerant)
- a bunch of fresh sage
- 2 handfuls of coarse sea salt (one for cooking the potatoes and one for the gnocchi)
- OPTIONAL some Parmesan or Pecorino cheese to serve
Method:
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Make sure the skin is nice and clean before you start. Place the pan on a medium-high heat, add a handful of sea salt and cook for about 35 min from when the water starts boiling. It is important to not peel the potatoes before boiling them, as the skin reduces the amount of water absorbed and therefore yields firmer gnocchi. TIP: select potatoes of a similar enough size so that they all cook in roughly the same time. The potatoes are ready when you can easily insert a fork through them.
Drain the potatoes and leave to cool slightly for a couple of minutes. Then proceed to remove the skin - be careful as they will be still very hot! TIP: I generally have a bowl of cold water next to me to dip my fingers in.
Once the potatoes are peeled, place in a bowl and crush with a potato masher until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the flour with the salt. On a floured surface, semi-combine the mashed potatoes and the flour, finally making a well shape. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg. Pour the beaten egg into the centre of the well and start combining the ingredients with floured hands and the assistance of a wooden spoon. Once all ingredients are well combined, lightly knead the dough to ensure it is smooth and there's no lumps.
Now on to the shaping - re-flour your surface and your hands if needed, cut a small chunk off the dough and roll out with both hands into a snake shape. You will need to roll delicately so not to lose the roundness of the shape - you will see that the dough is quite soft and fluffy so a little pressure will go a long way. Cut the snake into pillow-shapes of about 1.5-2 cm in length.
For this part you can use either a fork or a cheese grater (narrow- holed). Or you can do a mix of both - when I was little my gran would handle the fork and I would be in charge of the cheese-grater! Take a pillowed bit of dough and, using your thumb to apply pressure, roll it over the utensil you have chosen to create a pattern on the top and a slight dimple at the back. Shape all your gnocchi and place on a floured surface. TIP: best to use a wooden surface.
Gnocchi, differently from pasta, do not need to dry and are best enjoyed within 1-2 hours of making. Alternatively you can also freeze them in portions, which is why they are perfect for batch-making. To cook the gnocchi, boil some water in a large saucepan, add a handful of sea salt and slide the gnocchi in the boiling water without crowding the pan. Gnocchi will cook really rapidly and they will come floating to the surface when ready. Do not drain your gnocchi in a colander as this will squash them; instead, use a slotted spoon to drain them and place in a bowl whilst you go through the batch.
On the side prepare the sauce: place the washed sage leaves into a large frying pan with the butter (or spread) and set on a medium heat. As the butter melts, swirl the sage around to ensure no dry leaves are left.
Once the sauce is ready, place the cooked gnocchi in the frying pan to coat. Serve with some Parmesan or Pecorino cheese grated on top (optional).
Buon appetito!
Some extra tips
Contrary to homemade pasta, gnocchi do no need to dry before cooking. Cook your gnocchi within 1-2 hours of making them to avoid them turning black. You can also easily freeze gnocchi in portions, so you can always have a back-up dinner available.
Gnocchi are a great blank canvas to experiment with different sauces; I have recently really enjoyed finishing them in the pan with butter beans, baby spinach & Parmesan cheese
If making the sage & butter version, don't throw away the crispy sage leaves; whilst they are not a taste for all, give them a try and you might be pleasantly surprised!
And some more...
If you have enjoyed making gnocchi and want a more professional utensil for the shaping, you can try a Rigagnocchi . This wooden ridged board could also make a cute and unusual present to a cooking aficionado.
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