Non-Stop Gnocchi

I'm not sure what turned me on to gnocchi-was it a Top Chef challenge, or a tangent in Italian class?

Maybe it was my Mediterranean vegan cook book that inspired me, or my annual winter marathon of non-stop root vegetable consumption.

Either way, I have become obsessed with Gnocchi.

This version includes homemade foccacia,
winter pistou,
and a cream sauce

The first time I kneaded together baked potato guts with whole wheat flour did not yield Gnocchi. No,  I created the little pillows of dough but they began to fall apart the minute I tossed them in the boiling water. Instead I browned them in a frying pan with an almond-milk cream sauce, and while it was delicious it was not Gnocchi. The disappointment I felt only spurred me to watch four videos, read approximately 3, 657 recipes, and watch every top chef episode in which gnocchi was made in order to learn how to perfect the pasta dough and cook it flawlessly. 

This method worked out well, and now that I     have the ability to make gnocchi I am a mad-woman who cannot, and will NOT be stopped. 

Gnocchi are incredibly soft, melt-in-your mouth pillows of comfort that should be flavorful and filling. Made from roasted potatoes (Russet, sweet potato, or even squash!) flour, and salt they are ridiculously versatile. I love serving them in rich sauces with fresh salads or a bright pistou on top. Making the dough should be fun, as it is even more pliable than bread dough and kneading the warm mashed potatoes into silky wheat flour is beyond soothing.

The picture below shows my favorite gnocchi to date. The day I made it, I was suffering from a bout of seasonal depression and it was the perfect pick-me-up, better than a massage and more joyful than a surprise -sunny day in January. The Earthy flavors of almonds, mushrooms, and onions melted away all the winter aches while the white wine, lemon, and tomato awakened some sort of reserve happiness, buried under the mountainous and gray snow-piles of seasonal depression.

The recipe below is for Gnocchini, slightly smaller versions of gnocchi that are just oh-so-adorable.

My best version to date; served with homemade
whole wheat braided baguette, this gnocchi was made with white whole
 -wheat flour, shitaki mushrooms, garlic, and carmelized onions,
a rich cream sauce (including a good splash of white wine),  and
a small dose of sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and lemon juice/zest.

Gnocchini

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 large russet potatoes

1 tbsp EVOO

1/2 tsp salt

fresh ground pepper to taste

1.5-1.75 c all-purpose or white whole wheat flour

Heat oven to 450F, pierce potatoes with a fork, and bake for a little less than an hour, or until soft. You can also microwave them if you're in a hurry! Cool slightly.

Bring a stockpot of heavily salted water to a boil with a few drops of EVOO.  The salt is very important, because it will ensure the gnocchi absorb the flavors of your sauce!

Scoop out still warm insides of potatoes and mash very well with a fork. Try and eliminate all chunks, big and small. Gradually add one and half cups of the flour until a sticky mass forms, then mash in one tablespoon of oil. Turn the dough onto a very lightly floured surface and knead gently until it is not too sticky to be shaped. If it is still too sticky, add a little bit more flour. You don't want to add too much, otherwise the gnocchi won't be light enough to achieve that incredible melt-in-your-mouth effect! When pinched, the dough should feel similar to pizza dough, or your earlobe when you pinch it between index finger and thumb. 

Shape the dough into a rectangle and use a pastry cutter or sharp knife to divide into eight sections, then cut those each in half. Take each piece and roll into 1/4 inch cylinders. Using your pastry cutter or knife, chop each cylinder up so that you have a whole bunch of little dough pillows! 

Prepare a bath of ice water with a colander situated on top in your sink.

Drop batches of the dough into the heavily salted, boiling water. Do not over-crowd your pot! When the adorable little guys have risen to the surface, reduce the heat a bit and let simmer for 4-5 minutes. Lift out with a slotted spoon  and gently dump into colander/ice bath immediately. Repeat until all your gnocchi have been cooked. 

You can serve with pretty much any sauce! I like to have my sauce nearly ready when the gnocchi are thrown in to boil. You can turn up the heat on your sauce when ready, and toss the gnocchi in to heat and absorb flavors for a few minutes. You can also bake the gnocchi in a single layer, in a lightly oiled baking dish, covered in sauce, for about 8 minutes at 350F. Don't wait, serve at once!