This traditional gnocchi recipe is really easy to follow and will give you the perfect, delicate, soft, and heavenly gnocchi which can be dressed in many different ways. While a little fiddly, gnocchi is extremely rewarding to make fresh and honestly nothing like the supermarket bought version.
Ingredients (serves 4)
6-8 large potatoes
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup plain flour
1 pinch nutmeg, grated
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Parmesan, freshly grated
Instructions
1. Boil potatoes in salted water for about 25 minutes or until tender, drain and let it cool down for 10 minutes or so. Peel and mash the flesh while still warm and place into a large mixing bowl. Fold in the egg yolks and the flour, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and gradually add a little more flour if the mixture is still too wet and sticky to form a ball.
2. Divide the mixture in 4-6 portions, roll each piece into a sausage shape on a floured surface, and cut each into thick slices.
3. To shape the gnocchi, place it against the back of a fork, press in and down the length of the fork. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi, dust with a bit of flour, and cover with a wet cloth for up to a couple of hours or until ready to cook.
5. To cook the gnocchi, boil in small batches in salted water for 2-3 minutes, scoop out with a slotted spoon as they start floating to the surface, and continue until all remaining gnocchi have been cooked.
Extra tips:
- be careful not to add too much flour though as the more flour the firmer the gnocchi will be.
- Adding some salt to the water will prevent the gnocchi from sticking and disintegrating while cooking.
- When the water starts boiling, reduce the heat to moderate. Add small batches of gnocchi at a time to ensure the temperature remains stable.
- If you wish to freeze the gnocchi, do so pre-cooking and start by laying them on a tray to prevent them from sticking together. Once frozen, you can stick them in a freezing bag to store
A simple tomato sauce and grated cheese is a very delicious and authentic way to serve it, but you may prefer tossing it with other classic flavour combinations, such as butter & sage, Parm ham & ricotta, garlic & wild mushrooms, or peas & mint.