Gnocchi.
Its one of those foods people put on their to-do list because it just seems so difficult to get it right. I’ve never known what really good gnocchi is supposed to be like. I go to restaurants and I taste what they have to offer. I’ve been describing gnocchi as slightly chewy and sometimes fluffy and pillowy. Now that I have researched what gnocchi is supposed to be….I’ve learned that chewy is something you don’t want.
and as such, my knowledge on food expands…..just in time for Leanne’s Italian pot luck night.
This article by the guardian explains a lot and took a lot of work out of my research. What is important in making a great gnocchi dish? The type of potato, the way you cook the potato, seasoning and proportion of flour to potato.
Potato
Royal blue was what I used. Now that I think about it, some Italian guy did tell me his Nonna swore by them. Nadines are too waxy so avoid those. You want floury or starchy potatoes.
To get really fluffy gnocchi, try to keep it all really dry. So roast them on a bed of sea salt and work with the potatoes while they are really hot. What is the secret to working with hot potatoes? Slit them all around horizontally and vertically before placing them in the oven so the skin will be easy to pull off later.
It is also worth pushing the potatoes through the sieve at elbow height to introduce air. This sounds like it makes sense!
We were so excited that we managed to produce great gnocchi!
I look like a nut job with my hair tied up like that but WHATEVER. We mastered the Gnocchi!
Seasoning and flour:potato ratio
I used Donna Hay’s potato and flour proportion and added nutmeg. This makes the gnocchi tasty on its own… The Guardian article explains the reasoning behind a low flour to potato ratio so I won’t repeat what its stated in there.
Finally – cooking it. Boil or pan fried?
Bring a pot of water to boil. salt it. throw some gnocchi in (do not overcrowd) and when it floats to the surface, drain it and pour desired sauce over. I think a good meaty ragu goes well with this.
If you wish to pan fry it, dunk the boiled gnocchi into a bowl of ice water and drain it immediately. This stops overcooking it. Then heat up some butter in a pan. When it stops bubbling, throw the gnocchi in. Turn over after a few minutes so its nicely crisp on each side. Serve with desired sauce. Here’s a recommendation: burnt butter and sage sauce.
What we did was put it in a bed of cauliflower puree and topped it with a burnt butter, dill, earl grey soaked raisins and almond sauce. We stole a few ideas from Gourmet Traveller.
Behold the Gnocchi recipe.
- 1.7kg Royal Blue Potatoes (similar sized), scrubbed and dried.
- 200g Plain Flour
- 1 cup Parmesan (finely grated)
- 3 pinches nutmeg
- sea salt and black pepper
- 2 egg yolks (extra large)
- Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius.
- Slit each potato around and across so in the end, there will be 4 separate pieces of skin. Place potatoes on a baking tray covered with sea salt. Put in oven and roast for 1 hour.
- Sift flour onto bench. Over it, sprinkle grated parmesan, nutmeg, sea salt and pepper.
- Prepare a floured baking dish for finished gnocchi.
- When the potatoes are done, immediately pull off skin using forks.
- Push potatoes over flour through a sieve at elbow height using a wooden spoon.
- Put egg yolks in the middle and with light fingers, pat the flour into a soft ball of dough. It is important not to overwork the dough.
- Flour the work area and cut out a piece of dough. With your fingers (light light!), roll into a tube, cut into 1 inch pieces.
- Use a fork to press on it. The indentations are for holding sauce later on. It is really up to you to make these ridges. I do recommend it.
- Put into floured baking tray!
- Let me know how it goes!
