The ultimate comfort food! Gnocchi is fun and easy to make, even if you haven't taken our Taste of Tuscany or Pasta Perfecto classes yet. Take an afternoon with the whole family to make this pillowy pasta, and freeze what you don't want to make for dinner right then!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and boiled until fork tender
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for kneading
- 2 large eggs, whisked with a fork
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons butter, optional
- Additional salt, for boiling gnocchi and potatoes
Directions
- Begin by boiling the potatoes, cooking until just barely fork tender. Drain the potatoes and allow to cool slightly, just enough to handle. Use a potato ricer or box grater to rice the potatoes. Spread the riced potatoes in a thin, even layer onto a baking sheet and allow to cool completely. Measure the dry ingredients and whisk together in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooled riced potatoes to the dry ingredients and create a well in the center, then add two whisked large eggs. Use a fork to mix until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Using the back or front of a fork, take a piece of the gnocchi dough and place it on the widest part of the fork. Flour your thumb, then use it to gently press on the dough and roll upwards (if using back of fork) or downwards (if using front) against the tines of the fork to create groove marks in the gnocchi. Repeat this process for all pieces of gnocchi. You can also opt out of this step—the gnocchi are excellent as pillows! The gnocchi must be cooked immediately, or frozen for future use.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and, with floured hands, knead the dough until it forms a soft, pliable dough ball, about 2-3 minutes. Using a dough knife, cut the dough into 7 pieces, about an inch thick. Using both hands, gently roll each piece of dough using a back-and-forth motion until it forms a 1-inch thick rope. Then, using the dough knife, cut the dough ropes into bite-sized pieces (about ½-1 inch). Dust all gnocchi pieces with flour to prevent sticking.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a vigorous boil. Cook gnocchi in batches in the boiling water, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute after they begin to float. If making a double batch, cook the gnocchi in two large pots, in batches. You can brown 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet and toss the cooked gnocchi in the brown butter, then serve immediately. Get creative with your sauce pairings!