Flaherty Wines

Gnocchi are one of my all-time favorite foods. Potato pasta—what more could I ask? Not just any gnocchi will do, however. The gnocchi sold in grocery stores or even in most restaurants tend to be quite heavy and generally disappointing. The good news is that they are really easy to make at home, with delicious results.

The ingredients are simple: potatoes, flour, egg, and salt. The trick is in how you treat the potatoes. They need be boiled first and then mashed. A ricer works best for a smooth texture, but a simple masher will do the trick. I’ve even put them in the food processor, although the gnocchi tend to come out heavier (the potatoes turn gummy as the machine develops the gluten in the starch) (they were still better than store-bought, though, and none went to waste).

As for serving, I often have them as a side dish, dressed simply with melted butter and grated parmesan, perhaps melting the butter with a few sage leaves to add a rich savory note. Basil pesto is wonderful in summer, while a full-flavored roasted red pepper pesto or a gorgonzola sauce make a satisfying meal in fall and winter. It’s a very versatile dish, and a nice change from the usual pasta. The recipe below easily serves four as a side dish, two or three as a main dish.

Gnocchi

1 pound (450 g) peeled potatoes
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup flour

Boil the potatoes until quite soft. Drain and pass through a ricer, or mash gently but thoroughly with a standard potato masher. Stir in the egg yolk and salt. Turn out onto a board with the flour and knead to incorporate the flour until you have a smooth ball. (It will be sticky.) Divide the dough in two. Roll out one half into a long snake about the thickness of your thumb. Cut off small pieces about an inch long, pinching each one in the middle to give it a waist. Dust with flour and reserve on a baking sheet. (Use a generous dusting of flour to keep the gnocchi from sticking together.) If not cooking immediately, refrigerate for up to an hour.

Boil a large pot of water, add a tablespoon of salt, then drop in the gnocchi. Stir briefly (just once) so they don’t stick together. After a few minutes the gnocchi will float to the top, at which point they are ready. Remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon and serve immediately.