Easy Homemade Potato Gnocchi

gnocchi

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Gnocchi are a beautiful dumplings that can be fried, cooked in soup or boiled then covered in sauce. They are pillowy and light and honestly I had no idea what they were exactly when I first tried them. They are deceivingly simple to make and a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes.

Two ways

Gnocchi can be prepared two ways, with either left over mashed potatoes or with fresh mashed mashed potatoes that have been allowed too cool. It’s important to allow the potatoes to cool down otherwise the egg will cook and the dough will not set up quite right.

Left overs

This is how I prefer to make gnocchi. I always seem to make way more potatoes than we need and then I am left with a bowl of cold mash potatoes that are destined to become fishcakes, gnocchi or Shepard’s pie. The best way to prep the potatoes is to simply store them in an airtight container in the fridge until the next day when you are ready to prepare the dough.

Freshly mashed

If you are wanting to make gnocchi and you don’t have any leftovers you can steam or boil potatoes without the skins, mash with butter and cream and then spread out flat on a cookie sheet and place in the fridge or spread out on the counter to cool quickly. Once cooled to room temp you can continue to the next step.

The How

Once your potatoes are prepared spread them out on a clean work surface.

Sprinkle salt, 1/2 cup of flour onto the potatoes. Begin to knead.

Add the yolk of one large egg to the dough and continue to knead while gradually adding flour until the dough comes together in a smooth dough that is relatively not sticky. You will know its ready when your finger prints form nice smooth ridges as you work the dough.

With a bench scraper cut the dough in half and form into balls. Set one aside, and roll the other into al long snake/worm like shape.

Cut the dough into half inch pillows.

Run the dough along the back side of a fork to make indents in the dough that will catch the sauces.

Now the gnocchi can be either fried in butter and olive oil, added to a soup to simmer or boiled in salted water and tossed in sauce.

Easy Homemade Gnocchi

gnocchi

Ingredients

  • 1lb day old mashed potatoes
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1- 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 egg yolk

Instructions

    Knead all the ingredients together on the counter into it all comes together in a nice smooth ball.

    Roll out into a snake/worm shape and use a bench scrapper or knife to cut 1/2 inch pillows of gnocchi. Shape them on the back of a fork to make ridges to catch your sauces.

    Now you can fry in butter and olive oil, boil in salted water for 5 minutes and toss in sauce OR add to a soup!

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