Basic gnocchi recipe

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This dish is the basic recipe for making potato gnocchi to which you can add a sauces of your choice.

Ingredients

• 275 g (10 oz) potatoes, ideally Desiree or King Edward
• 1 egg, beaten
• 95 g (3½ oz) plain flour, sifted
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. In a large pan, cover the unpeeled potatoes with boiling water salted water
2. (Boiling in their skins prevents too much water being absorbed into the potatoes so try not to damage the skins)
3. Bring back to the boil, cover and simmer for 25 minutes
4. Drain, pat dry on a tea-towel and allow to cool so they can be handled safely
5. Run the skins off and pass through a potato ricer or use a hand whisk to break up into a very fine mash. It's worth taking care over this you will have lumpy gnocchi
6. Add the sifted flour and half of the beaten egg
7. Knead with your hands to a soft dough, correcting with extra egg or flour if too wet or dry
8. Transfer to a floured cutting board, dry and dust your hands with extra flour
9. Divide into four and roll each piece into a sausage about 1 cm (1/2") diameter then cut into 2.5 cm (1") sections
10. Using the times of a fork, press flat into each piece to make the sauce-holding pattern, the rougher the better, we want rustic!
11. Cover and chill until required
12. (Gnocchi does not keep well without discolouring so only make what you are going to use on the day)
13. Warm a serving dish in the oven
14. In a large pan, bring 4 litres (7 pints) of water to a simmer
15. Add the gnocchi and cook for 3 minutes, they will float after 2 but still need another minute
16. Drain, transfer to the warm serving dish
17. Drizzle your chosen sauce over the gnocchi and serve immediately

See also

Gnocchi & gnocchi related recipes:

• Gonocchi information page
• Basic gnocchi recipe
• Gnocchi with sage and garlic butter
• Roasted butternut squash and Capricorn goats' cheese gnocchi