Gnocchi
Source: adapted from Lidia Bastianch
3 large baking (Idaho or Russet) potatoes (about 1 3/4 pounds), scrubbed and pierced several times with fork
1 large egg
1 tsp salt
opt: 1/4 freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour, or as needed
Sauce: Light tomato sauce, vodka sauce, pesto, or butter and grated cheese, brown butter and sage sauce
Bake potatoes (do not boil) until tender - about 1 hour at 350. Peel potatoes when they are cool enough to handle. Press through a ricer.
Note - the hotter the potatoes are when they are peeled and riced, the lighter the gnocchi will be.
Let potatoes cool completely without pressing them or compacting them.
Beat the egg and salt together.
Form a well in center of potatoes, pour in egg mixture. Knead, gradually adding flour (and optional cheese) until dough is slightly sticky and smooth (like play-doh)
Note - It should take no longer than 3 minutes to work the flour into the potato mixture; remember, the longer the dough is kneaded, the more flour it will require and the heavier it will become.
On floured surface and with floured hands, divide the dough into several sections and roll into logs about 1/2-inch thick.
Cut each log into 3/4" pieces.
Hold the tines of a fork at a 45-degree angle to the table with the concave part facing up. Dip the tip of your thumb in flour. Take one ball of dough and with the tip of your thumb, press the dough lightly against the tines of the fork as you roll it downward toward the tips of the tines. As the dough wraps around the tip of your thumb, it will form into a dumpling with a deep indentation on one side and a ridged surface on the other. Set on a baking sheet lined with a floured kitchen towel and continue forming gnocchi from the remaining dough balls. Repeat the whole process with the remaining pieces of dough. At this point the gnocchi must be cooked immediately or frozen.
Cook the gnocchi in boiling salted water in several batches. Cook the gnocchi, stirring gently, until tender, about 1 minute after they rise to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon.
Serve immediately with sauce of choice.
Serves 4
To precook gnocchi:
Cook the gnocchi as described above, and spread them out in a baking pan lightly coated with melted butter or oil. When ready to serve, return the gnocchi to a large pot of boiling salted water until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. (Can store covered in refrigerator up to 48 hours)
To freeze gnocchi:
Freeze gnocchi uncooked as soon as they are shaped. Arrange the gnocchi in a single layer on a lightly floured baking pan and place the pan in a level position in the freezer. Freeze until solid, about 3 hours. Gather the frozen gnocchi into resealable freezer bags. Frozen gnocchi can be stored in the freezer for 4 to 6 weeks.
To cook frozen gnocchi:
Frozen gnocchi must be cooked directly from the freezer in plenty of boiling water, or they will stick together. It is important that the water return to a boil as soon as possible; cover the pots if necessary. Drain the gnocchi as described above and sauce and serve according to the specific recipe.