Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 500 g boiled potatoes, passed through a ricer
  • about 150 g flour type 00, plus more for dusting (200 g total, max)

Instruction

  • First of all, boil the potatoes with the peel in abundant cold water until they are soft when you prick them with a fork.
  • Drain the potatoes, remove the peel (yes, when still hot) and pass them through a potato masher (ricer). Do this directly onto the pastry board.
  • When the potatoes are mashed, let cool slightly, then add the flour and mix very little and quickly, just enough to combine the ingredients (working the dough too much, releases the moisture and you are tempted to add more flour!). Form a "loaf" and keep some flour on the side.
  • Cut a slice of the dough at a time, dust some flour on the board and start making a rope about 1.5 cm round, dusting some more flour as needed as you're rolling the rope.
  • With a knife, cut pieces of dough about 1.5-2 cm.
  • When you have little nuggets of dough, it's time to make the gnocchi shape. My mom taught me to make a slight dimple in the center with my index finger. Press lightly in the middle with your index finger going towards you. The piece of dough should turn upside down and leave the dimple in the dumpling. Needless to say, it doesn't work if you have long nails. You could just press them lightly to create the "dimple". If you want gnocchi with the ridges, you can roll them on the classic wooden tablet, on the prongs of a fork, on the back of a grater (the smooth part), by pressing gently.  You could also leave them like that, or make them round by shaping them in the palm of your hands.
  • As they are ready, put them on floured trays making sure they do not overlap and sprinkle some more flour on the gnocchi.
  • Have a large pot with plenty of water (and coarse salt if you wish so) on the stove on medium/high heat. When the water is boiling, immerse the gnocchi delicately, mix them gently, then do not turn during cooking, and wait until they slowly rise to the surface.
  • Potato gnocchi are ready when they all rise to the surface and the water is foamy. Drain them with a skimmer (avoid draining them in the colander!) and place them in a big bowl where you added some of the sauce at the bottom.
  • Pour more sauce on top of your gnocchi and a generous grating of Parmigiano Reggiano. Stir gently and serve into bowls.