Recipe: Gnocchi
From: Made in Italy
Cookbook Challenge... Week 32... Theme: potato... I made gnocchi.... blah blah blah....
My mind is a bit fried tonight. This morning I got out of bed early, made gnocchi, baked muffins, baked a banana cake, and went out to a 1 year old birthday party, where I drank bubbles, and ate far too much cheese and cake.
The early start, combined with far too much sugar, has left me feeling a frazzled, so I'll keep this post short and sweet.
The theme for this week's Cookbook Challenge is potato, and when I asked Alastair what I should make, he replied, "Gnocchi!". I made gnocchi for the first time the other month, but since I couldn't think of anything else I wanted to make, gnocchi it was.
This time I followed a recipe from a different cookbook, and it worked out pretty well. I managed to roughly make the gnocchi shape by rolling it over a fork - unlike last time when it was too soft to shape. Oh! And I bought a food mill, so it was much easier this time. Whoo hoo for not having to push potato through a fine sieve!
We had the gnocchi for lunch so I sauteed some mushrooms with garlic and butter to have with it. I have to say, it was pretty good! The gnocchi turned out quite well too, fairly light and fluffy. And if we hadn't eaten such a filling, carbalicious lunch, I'm sure the bubbles, cheese and cake would have put me in a worst state. As it is, I think I'm done for the evening. Thank you and good night!
See previous Cookbook Challenge posts here.
Gnocchi
From Made in Italy
1kg starchy potatoes
2 small eggs, lightly beaten
about 320g plain flour
pinch of salt
Wash the potatoes, and cover with cold water in a pot. Bring the water to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Let the potatoes cook until they are soft (about 45mins - 1 hr depending on the size). Drain the potatoes - you may want to put them in a hot oven at this stage to dry them out.
While the potatoes are still hot, peel them and put them through a sieve/food mill. (I found it easiest to hold the potato with tongs and peel the skin off with my fingers.) Put them in a bowl or on your work surface and create a well in the centre. Add the egg, pinch of salt, and three quarters of the flour. Mix well and as soon as the dough comes together, stop. Only add the rest of the flour if you think it needs it. Don't overwork the dough.
Dust your work surface with flour and flatten your dough into a rough square about 1.5cm thick.
With a knife, cut the dough into strips about 1.5cm wide. Roll each piece lightly until it is cylindrical.
Lay two or three cylinders next to each other and then cut through them at the same time , cutting them into 1.5cm wide pieces. Repeat with the rest of the cylinders.
Take a fork and push each piece of dough on to the prongs, so that it rolls itself up and is marked with lines. Repeat with all the pieces.
To cook, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and add the gnocchi, stirring until they rise to the surface (a minute or so). Lift them out with a slotted spoon and serve with your choice of sauce.
Posts
