Having been in Italy for two weeks, it has been a bit difficult to keep up with the competition in Project Food Blog, away from home and without access to a kitchen for half of my trip. In case I would participate in the 4th challenge, I paid attention to the food around me in Rome, and tried to find what I would be able to make in my miniscule (update: and *very* ill-equiped) Trastevere apartment. After seeing it served as a primi piatti in countless restaurants, I decided I would make gnocchi.
The great thing about gnocchi is that they’re made with few ingredients: potatoes, flour, eggs, olive oil, salt. They also require no special equipment. You can make a large quantity of gnocchi for a few dollars and roll them pretty much anywhere, as I found out when I made a batch on my apartment’s wooden bedside table.
My kitchen in Rome (minus the bedside table).
Although gnocchi are simple to prepare, they are also easy to mess with. Too much liquid and your gnocchi will be gummy; too much flour and they’ll be dense and heavy on the stomach. When perfect, they’re light and plump.
If I succeeded in making a delicious dinner in such limited conditions, you can certainly do the same at home! Here’s the walkthrough to your perfect homemade gnocchi.
–
Classic Gnocchi
Based on Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino’s tried-and-true family recipe
1 kg (2.2 lbs) russet potatoes (about 5 large), unpeeled
300 g (1 ½ cups) all-purpose flour
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Step 1: Cook the potatoes
Wash your potatoes thoroughly without peeling them. Boiling them unpeeled lessens the water that penetrates the potatoes while they’re cooking. Water is a gnocchi downfall. This is also why you must use the exact cooking time. Avoid piercing them during cooking as it’ll allow water to get in. Small potatoes take 10–15 minutes to boil; medium 20–25 minutes; large 35–45 minutes. If you’re unsure about your cooking time, boil one extra potato that you’ll use to test.
Cooked and peeled potatoes.
Step 2: Mash the potatoes
Once your potatoes are done, drain them and let them cool until you can handle them. Peel the potatoes and mash them into a large bowl: the tool that will help you breeze through this step is a potato ricer. It guarantees lump-free gnocchi. If you don’t have a ricer, mash your potatoes with a fork (like I did) or a potato masher. Pay extra attention to make sure you eliminate as many lumps as possible.
Let the mashed potatoes cool to room temperature.
Mashing potatoes with a fork, until no lumps remain.
Step 3: Prepare the dough
Mix flour and salt together in a small bowl. Mix the mashed potatoes with the egg yolks and olive oil. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the potatoes and mix gently until the flour is moistened and the dough looks crumbly.
Mixing the ingredients together until the flour is moistened and the dough looks crumbly.
Lightly flour your work surface. Put your dough on the surface. Knead it gently to incorporate the flour: press on the dough with your hands, fold it in half, turn it by a quarter turn and press it again. You should do this for about 1 minute: over-kneading is another gnocchi downfall. It leads to a tough, rubbery texture.
Kneading the dough using both hands for about 1 minute.
After kneading, your dough should feel soft and smooth. If it sticks to your work surface, sprinkle a bit more flour — but keep in mind that you must limit the amount of flour you add to the gnocchi to make sure they don’t become heavy and dense.
When you dough is ready, put it in a bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel.
Kneaded gnocchi dough, ready to be rolled into bites.
Step 4: Roll and cut the dough into bites
Clean your work surface, dry it thoroughly and sprinkle lightly with flour. Tear off a lemon-size piece of dough and roll it into a rope (about 3/4 in. diameter). Use a knife to cut out square bites.
Gnocchi dough ropes, cut into squares.
Now you have two choices: leave your gnocchi plain, looking like miniature pillows, or indent them using a gnocchi board or a fork.
Leaving them plain is a good choice when you want to fry them in butter, or serve them with a classic brown butter (see this recipe). I really like the crunchy texture it renders, a nice contrast to the creamy interior.
Plain pillow-looking gnocchi.
Indenting gnocchi is ideal when you want to serve them with a sauce, because the pattern allows it to better cling to the pasta.
To indent gnocchi, you can use either a special board or a fork. The method to roll and indent is a bit intriguing and difficult to explain in words. I’ve put together a 30-second video that demystifies the process:
My dough was a day old when I filmed this video so it was firmer than usual. When the dough is fresh, the gnocchi needs just a soft press to be indented.
Two kinds of gnocchi side by side: rolled on a special board, and rolled on a fork.
As you roll your gnocchi, arrange them in a single layer on baking sheets, making sure they don’t touch. Gnocchi are best cooked within 2–3 hours of being made (keep at room temperature).
To freeze: put the gnocchi on the baking sheets straight into the freezer. Once hard, transfer them to freezer bags in portion sizes. They’ll keep for two months.
Step 5: Cook the gnocchi
Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Put about 12–15 gnocchi into the water at once and wait until they come back to the surface. When they do, they’re ready. Don’t turn your back on them because it takes just two minutes! Use a slotted spoon to fish them out, put them in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to keep them warm. Repeat the process until all the gnocchi are cooked.
–
Gnocchi are lovely with different sauces, from a simple fresh tomato to a slowly simmered meat ragù. They’re also delicious au gratin, mixed with a cheesy white sauce and broiled in the oven. Use your imagination! You’ll be so proud that you made your own that I’m sure you’ll find them delicious any way you serve them.
My gnocchi, as I served them in Rome: sauteed in butter and olive oil, with pesto, sprinkled with parmigiano-reggiano, accompanied by a fresh-from-the-market side salad.
–
This is my entry to Project Food Blog 2010 Challenge #4. If you liked this post, click here to vote for me. Voting is open from Oct. 11th through Oct. 14th. A big thank you to all who voted for me in the first three challenges!
Thanks for the great recipe! I’ve never made gnocchi before and the instructions were really easy to follow. Can’t wait to make them again!
[...] For the gnocchi recipe I highly recommend the below link. http://foodnouveau.com/2010/10/destinations/europe/italy/how-to-make-gnocchi-an-illustrated-step-by-… [...]
Great tutorial, the video was SUPER helpful! I just tried to make these and they turned out okay, but rolling them on a fork turned out to be impossible – I noticed you said your dough was a day old when you rolled them, I wonder did you refrigerate the dough overnight or leave it out on the counter? I doubled your recipe and have about half the dough left over, I’d like to try rolling day old dough to see if it works any better. Do you have any advice?? Thanks!
Hello Kim! I refrigerated the dough overnight and took it out a little while before rolling the gnocchi to bring it back to room temperature. It worked fine, their were a little firmer than the day before, but I liked them all the same!
Thank you for that brilliant tutorial.
[...] 4) Roll handfuls of dough into 3/4 inch diameter ropes on floured surface. Cut of 1/2 -3/4 inch pieces, depending on the size you like your pasta. Roll piece into ball in your palm. Flatten ball with the back tines of fork and roll off fork. Wait until you have about ten pieces. Toss into boiling water and when pieces float to the top, skim out with slotted spoon. Does this make sense? Here is how another person does the gnocchi fork roll. [...]
[...] This one is how to make normal potato gnocchi: http://foodnouveau.com/2010/10/09/destinations/europe/italy/how-to-make-gnocchi-an-illustrated-step-… [...]
I just made these. Gnocchi are one of my favorite foods. They were delicious (and this was my first attempt). I can see there is definitely a skill involved in perfecting them and I’m sure with enough practice I’ll be a pro. I’ll never go back to store bought gnocchi again. I plan on buying the gnocchi board next time I’m at a store that sells them.
I’m really happy the recipe and technique worked out for you. Indeed, a gnocchi board add a nice, authentic touch, but don’t buy it if it costs more than a few dollars! I bought mine for 1.50 euros in Rome, but some stores really do inflate the price of such simple tools when they become trendy.
Hello Marie. Congratulation and thanks on your well explained and excellent Gnocchi recipes.
Regarding Courtney, I believe she’s mentioning about the Cavatelli or Cavatielli. In spoken dialect it would sound similar as “gabadills”.
As you may know Cavatielli are a bit longer than gnocchi and resembles a tiny hot dog bun. If you buy the commercial product it would be similar in texture as the orecchiette or most dry pasta and it’s fine. I had it once made it fresh for me and never will again, they sat on my stomach for hours. The difference is because Cavatielli are made with flour and water only. You eat plain dough. Talking about heavy and dense? Cavatielli are 100% flour. Many swear by them, but in my opinion if I have to go to the effort in making that fresh pasta or dumpling, I rather add the potatoes and make your gnocchi, as I just had it today. A good gnocchi recipes is only about 1/3 flour, much lighter.
Hope it clarifies.
Thanks so much for your explanation JP! I’d be curious to try Cavatielli to compare it with gnocchi. The fact that they’re made only with flour and water sure must make a big difference!
Thank you for the great pictures and step by step directions! Made my first batch tonight and really enjoyed it! Like a good roux, I can tell gnocchi is something where practice makes perfect! I intend to keep on practicing! Thanks again!
Good job Tara
I love your comparison, it’s true that gnocchi is one of those culinary specialties that needs lots of practice. They’re heavenly when you get them right and I find them really satisfying to make!
[...] Here’s what I came up with tonight with some help from Food Nouveau: [...]
I just wanted to commend you for posting excellent instructions on making gnocchi. I’m a private chef from Texas, but I lived in Rome for about 2 months. Your apartment’s kitchen is actually fairly nice. I cooked for an Italian family on a regular basis and I have to say kitchens and grocery stores in Italy definitely have their limitations compared to those in the States.
Thank you Rick for your feedback. I envy the fact that you got the chance to live in Rome for two whole months! I agree that the kitchen we had wasn’t bad, and it wasn’t cramped simply because the apartment was a studio, everything was in one room. The bed was 3 feet away from the sink :) I loved it and would go back in a heartbeat.
Im 12 yrs old and i aspire to become a cheff.
Thanks for bringing me one step closer to my dream….. I LOVE ITALIAN and thanks for this..
ALTHOUGH please help me with a sauce for this GNOCCHI :D
Hello Malhaar! You are a very young cook! If you keep on cooking and practicing, I’m sure you’ll realize your dream of becoming a chef.
Gnocchi can be served with pretty much any pasta sauce! See this page for inspiration.
Good luck and once you’ve made gnocchi, I hope you’ll come back to tell me how you did.
Thanks so much for your tutorial! I made your gnocchi for my boyfriends parents, (the first meal ive ever cooked for them) and got the nod of approval :D Apparently I'm a keeper!
I ended up pan searing them, and making a white parmesan sauce with beetroot, spinach, prosciutto, pine nuts and fetta.
Thanks again, all the best!
I’m really happy your gnocchi were a hit. The way you chose to serve them sounds really yummy. Congrats! P.S. Of course you’re a keeper! ;)
[...] from Food Nouveau – How to Make Gnocchi – A Step-by-Step Recipe [...]
So I followed this recipe and am glad I did. I overthink my gnochi so much and this made it much better. One thing I will say, the flour amount is about 150 grams too much. I used half and had excellent fluffy perfect texture gnochi.
Thanks for your feedback Jonny!
[...] head shakes, I think W might be indeed right. Anyway, the gnocchi were ready to be cooked. I even indented the gnocchi with a fork. A bit silly since the dents are intended for clinging better with the sauce, and there was no [...]
[...] slim worms and cut into 1cm pieces on a lightly floured surface Roll into gnocchi dumplings ! (See here for a cool video on how to do this, I promise it’s not as hard or as weird as it looks… I [...]
thank you so much for taking the time to do this! i have been wanting to learn how to make these and had no one to teach me. i really appreciate the detailed instructions and video!
While i enjoyed the process and my family didn't starve, I think I did something wrong. The gnocchis that I cooked initially were mushy – like little potatoe pancakes. Later, after stepping away for a couple hours, the dough became very sticky and hard to work with. I had to employ quite a bit of flour just to get the dough to roll into the long rope. I haven't cook those yet but i expect they will also be mushy.
Any clue what i did wrong?
Maybe you didn’t use the right kind of potatoes (different potatoes can render very different textures!). Also, boiling can adds water to the potatoes, so you could try to bake or steam them instead.
I am a chef and I always had trouble making these things and then, awhile back, I worked it out. Drum roll please…bake the potato! Once out of the oven let it cool down enough to handle, peel one side off with a knife and squeeze it out. Of course gnocchi is like English scones or any pastry don’t handle them too much or you will pay the price.
Annoyingly simple don’t you think?
Great tip David, thank you for sharing! I have yet to test the baked potato method, but I’ve heard it works wonders with people who can’t reach the right consistency by boiling the potaotes since it adds more liquid to the dough.
These were the best gnocchi I have ever had! My relatives make them but they usually come out a little harder. This recipe makes them light and fluffy as a feather. This recipe should be called 'Melt In Your Mouth Gnocchi'. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for your comment, I’m really happy it worked out for you! It is indeed a pretty foolproof family recipe. I also prefer my gnocchi to be light and fluffy – that’s why I love these so much! If you haven’t tried it yet, make sure to fry a bunch in butter and enjoy them sprinkled generously with parmigiano-reggiano. A true indulgence!
Can you swap out the white potatoes for sweet potatoes? They seem softer/wetter when cooked and mashed, so would you increase the flour needed?
Sweet potato gnocchi are quite popular, but I’ve never tried them. I’m sure the ratio is different, and for more guidance, I suggest you read David Lebovitz’ post about it: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/01/sweet-potato-gnocchi-the-good-th/ Good luck!
I am going to give these a try, as they look fantastic. Growing up, my aunts used to make something called Gabadills. Thinking back, they were like gnocchi but, I am not exactly positive. Do you know what Gabadills are by chance?
Never heard of them! Is your family Italian? If they tell you more about what they were exaclty, let me know!
[...] (450g) pre-packaged gnocchi – or create your own if you like, here’s a good do-it-yourself gnocchi [...]
To Food Noveau,
just wanted to say this the by far, the best gnocci recipe I've seen online, all with photos and a video! I'm very impressed which makes things, for people like us, who aren't gifted at cooking a chance at doing something from scratch!
Thank you heaps again!!
Thank you, you’re very kind!
[...] There was a Top Chef: All Stars marathon this past Saturday and I was remembered to make gnocchi. It was the episode where the top nine had to cook for the family that owns Rao’s. After my failed attempt at making gnocchi, much less boiling potatoes, I decided to retry this recipe. [...]