Italian Recipes For Dummies
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You can serve potato gnocchi with many of the same sauces you use on pasta, including meat sauce and pesto sauce. Potato gnocchi are made with ricotta cheese in some regions of Italy. (Gnocchi are little dumplings that are hand-formed and boiled.)

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Preparation time: 40 minutes

Cooking time: 25 to 30 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

Special tool: Ricer

4 medium russet potatoes (2 pounds)

3 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

1 3/4 cups flour, plus flour for dusting work surface

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

  1. Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover them with cold water.

  2. Add a touch of salt to the water and bring it to a boil.

  3. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced, but are still firm.

  4. Drain.

  5. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them.

  6. Using a ricer, squeeze the potato flesh into a mound on a smooth, flat surface.

    It’s important to do this step when the potatoes are still hot; otherwise, the gnocchi become gluey when cooked.

  7. Allow the riced potatoes to cool.

  8. Crack the eggs into a bowl and lightly beat them with a whisk or fork.

  9. Form a well in the center of the potatoes and add the eggs and salt and pepper.

  10. Mix to combine.

  11. Sift in 1 1/2 cups flour.

  12. Mix until you have a sticky ball.

    Add more flour if the dough is too wet to knead.

  13. Knead the dough until it’s smooth and all ingredients are well incorporated.

  14. Lightly dust the work surface with flour.

  15. Roll out the gnocchi dough so that it forms a 1 1/2-inch-diameter log.

  16. Cut into 1-inch pieces.

  17. Take each piece and roll it off a fork so that the grid impression remains.

  18. In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil and add the kosher salt.

  19. Add a fourth of the gnocchi.

  20. Using a strainer/skimmer, transfer the gnocchi to a warm plate or serving platter about 1 minute after they float to the surface.

  21. Toss with a warmed sauce of your choice.

  22. Repeat Steps 19 through 21 three times with the remaining gnocchi.

  23. Serve immediately.

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