Chef's Notes
For instructions on how to cook gnocchi, see the Gnocchi with Warm Sage Butter Recipe.
Cooking and Ricing the Potato
To start the gnocchi, preheat your oven to 400º degrees Fahrenheit. Place the potatoes onto a sheet of foil, add the salt and water and wrap. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until cooked through.
Peel the potatoes while they are still hot. Cut and rice the potatoes, making sure they don’t pile up in one spot. Let the potatoes cool completely before proceeding.
Step 1: Cooking and Ricing the Potato
- 2 medium Yukon Gold or russet potatoes
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp water
Making the Dough
To make the dough, sprinkle the potatoes with a good amount of flour. Aerate the potatoes with a bench scraper and then add the salt, nutmeg and white pepper.
Break up the egg yolks and pour them over the potatoes. Cover the surface again with more flour. Continue to cut and gently lift the dough.
Test the dough by squeezing it gently in your hand. It shouldn’t stick. Add a bit more flour, if needed.
Once done, shape the dough into a rectangle and fold it a few times, using your fingertips to bring it together. Flatten the dough out until it is about the thickness of your finger. Sprinkle with flour and let the dough rest for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Cut strips of dough, about the width of your finger, and sprinkle the strips with flour so they don’t stick to each other. Roll out each strip and cut the ropes into 3/4" -inch pieces. Separate them slightly and flour them well so they don’t stick together.
Step 2: Making the Dough
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly-grated nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
Cutting, Shaping & Storing the Gnocchi
For a more rustic look, you can leave the gnocchi as is. Shaping the dough makes them look better and also creates a little pocket to capture the sauce. This can be done with or without a gnocchi paddle.
Once done, sprinkle with flour and cover with a clean dry cloth. Fresh gnocchi can sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking. If your kitchen is quite cool and dry, then the resting period can be a bit longer. If, however, your kitchen is quite warm and you want to prep the gnocchi ahead of time, it is better to cook them immediately and then cool them.
You can also freeze gnocchi raw. Just place them onto a tray, making sure they aren’t touching each other. Once frozen, transfer to a plastic freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Cook the gnocchi from frozen and serve with your favorite sauce.
For cooking instruction see Step 4 of the Gnocchi with Warm Sage Butter Recipe.