Recipe for homemade gnocchi
When it comes to Italian food, the simplest things are the most difficult. Gnocchi, the delicious potato dumplings, are made of few ingredients: just flour, potatoes and eggs, but it is the proportion that make it or break it. Put too much flour and your gnocchi will be hard and floury. Put too much potato, and your gnocchi will be sticky and unmanageable.
So, is there a golden rule for proportions?
Well, it really depends on the quality of the potatoes. There are many different types of potatoes and, more importantly they do have different qualities when it come to starch content. Therefore the golden rule is to observe your dough and add your flour bit by bit till the gnocchi dough is just floury enough to not stick to your hands anymore when you work it.
So here is a general recepe, but for the best result keep in mind the above suggestions and you will make beautiful gnocchi.
Quantity for 4 portions:
- Potatoes 1 kg
- Flour 200 gr
- Egg 1
- Salt
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and put potatoes in. Cook until tender but still firm, for about 30 minutes. Drain, cool and mash with a fork or potato masher.
- Combine the mashed potato, flour and egg in a large bowl. Knead until dough forms a ball. Shape small portions of the dough into long “snakes”. On a floured surface, cut snakes into half-inch pieces.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Drop in gnocchi and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until gnocchi have risen to the top; drain and serve with a nice sauce of your choosing (Ragu’ Bolognese is recommended)
