Potato Gnocchi

This recipe makes enough for four people and is easy to scale up or down as you please. The amount of russet potato is a suggested amount, as it is hard to say how much you get out of the potato once it is baked. What could be a tricky part of this recipe is the amount of flour that is added to the potato. If you start with 150g and then add, this will help you. Once the dough starts to come together, make one gnocchi and drop in the boiling water, to make sure it holds together.

 
 

Ingredients

1000 grams Russet Potato

200 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 egg yolks

1 tsp fine salt

30 grams freshly grated Parmesan (optional)

1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Steps

Bake the potatoes: Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Pierce 1000 grams of starchy potatoes, Russets are the best and easiest to work with, all over with a fork and bake directly on the oven rack until completely tender, about 60 minutes. Baking (rather than boiling) keeps them dry, which means you'll need less flour.

Rice the potatoes: While still hot, halve the potatoes and scoop out the flesh. Pass it through a potato ricer or food mill onto a clean work surface. Spread it out and let it steam-dry for 5 minutes — moisture is the enemy of light gnocchi. This steam step is very important, as this will determine how much flour to use.

Form the dough: Make a well in the center of the riced potato. Add 150 grams of all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon fine salt, 1 pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, and 30 grams of freshly grated Parmesan (optional) if using. Gently mix and fold everything together by hand until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Do not overwork it — stop as soon as it comes together.

Shape the gnocchi: Dust the surface lightly with flour. Divide the dough into 8 portions and roll each into a rope about 1.5 cm thick. Using your pointer and thumb as your measurement, give the rope a slight pinch, creating two dents on each side, making a “pillow”, then cut with a knife or a bench scraper right at your fingertips. This will create about 3/4” to an inch of gnocchi.

Cook the gnocchi: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi in batches — don't crowd the pot. They're done in about 2 minutes, after they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon. If you're making the gnocchi ahead of time, remove them from the boiling water and place them in a bowl of ice water to cool them quickly. Store on a sheet tray lined with parchment and drizzle with olive oil.

Sauce and serve: Toss immediately with your sauce of choice — brown butter and sage, simple tomato, or a creamy Gorgonzola. Finish with extra Parmesan and serve right away.

If you chill the gnocchi down, allow them to dry out a little bit in refrigerator, you can actually give them a slight sear before adding your sauce and some parmesan.

Notes

Tips for perfect gnocchi:

  • Dry potatoes are key. Baking instead of boiling makes a huge difference. The drier the potato, the less flour you need, and the lighter the gnocchi.

  • Don't overwork the dough. Overworking develops gluten and makes gnocchi dense and chewy.

  • Test before you roll. Cook one gnocchi first — if it falls apart, add a little more flour.

  • Freeze them! Spread uncooked gnocchi on a floured tray, freeze until solid, then transfer to a bag. Cook straight from frozen, adding an extra minute.