Italian Potato Gnocchi. A bowl of pillowy, soft and downy potato dumplings that we Italians call gnocchi. To me, gnocchi is comfort food at its best. And it is a throwback to my childhood, when my grandmother would make gnocchi every Thursday. I would savor every single bite. I would eat as slowly as possible to endlessly prolong the velvety sensation of each dumpling.
My grandma’s gnocchi are made from potatoes, which is the most traditional Italian recipe. It is a dish typical of Northern Italy, in specific the Veneto region, where I grew up. I love making homemade gnocchi as it gives me calm and joy, and it evokes happy memories. Today, making gnocchi makes me even happier as Rob loves this dish, and I must confess it was my secret weapon to make him trust my culinary skills back when we started dating.
But what exactly are gnocchi? They are a kind of Italian homemade fresh pasta that resemble dumplings. There are several variations, but the most popular one features a potato-based dough, which is then cut into bite-size pieces. Each piece is then pressed on a fork, grater or gnocchi board to create an imprint, which gives it the signature of this delicious gnocchi recipe.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE MY GRANDMA’S ITALIAN POTATO GNOCCHI RECIPE
If you are still not sure whether you would like to make this Italian potato gnocchi recipe, here are at least 3 good reasons:
– It is an authentic Italian recipe that requires little effort and provide you with pillowy gnocchi that are delicious for an easy dinner.
– It is a family recipe, ready in a couple of hours and easy to make especially if it is your first time.
-A bonus of this easy gnocchi recipe is that gnocchi are freezable. Not bad, right?
ITALIAN POTATO GNOCCHI RECIPE INGREDIENTS
According to nonna (Italian for “grandmother”), choosing and blending the right amount of ingredients is the crucial step in making perfect homemade gnocchi recipe. I learned these secrets from her, and I am grateful to share this with you today as it is a classic Venetian family recipe.
My grandma has her own tricks to make the perfect Italian gnocchi: simple ingredients, good quality of potatoes, the right amount of flour, a fresh egg at room temperature, and just a sprinkle of salt and Parmesan. More importantly, the secret is to be kind – her lesson for life. In Italian cooking, there is a reason for how we pick each ingredient. So here are more details on my grandma’s tricks:
Potatoes: It is essential to have the right quality of potatoes, as it is the most important ingredient. My grandma always used white flesh potatoes, usually from the Veneto region. White potato pulp, when passed through a ricer, resembles flour. For this reason, it blends perfectly with the rest of the ingredients. Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes are the best potato for gnocchi.
Flour: Flour is another important component for Italian potato gnocchi. You MUST use Italian 00 flour or all-purpose flour, because they are finer and softer than others. The ratio of potato to flour should be 2:1. If you add too much flour, your gnocchi will have a sandy consistency and will not float when boiled. If you add too little, your gnocchi will be like mashed potatoes and they will melt while cooking them. As a rule of thumb you should use a minimal amount of flour: enough to have a gnocchi dough that you can easily work and that it does not stick ti your hands.
Egg: The egg helps to bind the flour and potatoes. 1 egg for 1 pound of potato is usually the right ratio. My grandma made sure the egg was at room temperature, as it dispersed more easily in the flour and potatoes mixture.
Salt and Fresh Parmesan cheese: These contribute to add a savory taste to the gnocchi, without overpowering them. In this way, you can eat gnocchi with a simple sauce and they will be delicious.
HOW TO MAKE ITALIAN POTATO GNOCCHI
Time to make my grandma’s gnocchi! 🙂
STEP 1. To make homemade gnocchi, you need first to boil the unpeeled potatoes in salted water, until they are cooked. Let them cool down and peel them.
STEP 2. Pass the potato through a potato ricer. It is better that the potatoes reach a cooler temperature before you pass them through a ricer. If the potatoes are still hot, they will contain more moisture, which will require you to use more flour than is needed. So be patient, and wait for the potato to cool. Collect the riced potato in a volcano shape on a floured clean work surface.
STEP 3. Add the flour, egg, salt and Parmesan to the riced potato and make the dough. Do not overdo it and do not press it too hard. You have to be gentle and shape it into a ball quite fast, to avoid developing the gluten that lies in the flour which would make your gnocchi too chewy.
STEP 4. With a pasta cutter, divide the dough ball into 8 parts.
STEP 5. Roll each part into a log, 1/2″ to 3/4″ in thickness. Cut each roll into 1/2″ pieces.
STEP 6. Now the fun part – time to shape the gnocchi! My grandma always stressed the importance of the imprints in the gnocchi, to collect the sauce with every bite. You can shape these little dumplings with a fork or a pasta board. I find that a pasta board gives more indentations per piece, so it collect more sauce and multiplies the taste. But if you do not have a pasta board, a fork is just perfect. My grandma always used a fork and her gnocchi were awesome. If you do not want to make the imprints, you could just cut the log and stop at step 5. That is it. You are done. You will save some time. But then, where is the fun?
Congrats! You made gnocchi, and you are just one step away from tasting this delicacy. How do we cook Italian potato gnocchi?
Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add the homemade potato gnocchi when water reach rolling boil. If everything worked, the gnocchi will float to the surface in one minute. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate or skillet where you put your sauce. My granda would usually brown some butter with sage from the garden, so that I could really feel the taste of the gnocchi. To me, this is the best gnocchi recipe – it is such a simple recipe, and yet the emblem of a delicious Italian home cooked meal.
GNOCCHI RECIPE VARIATIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
There are endless possibilities to create different gnocchi recipes, depending on the sauce you will use. The browned butter and sage sauce is a classic and rather quick one to make, but on this blog you will find different homemade sauces that are great to pair with gnocchi. Here are a few variations, to always create something new:
- Beef ragu: it will make the recipe a rich and hearty meal.
- Pesto: pesto gnocchi are a fresh, creamy and nutty recipe.
- Italian homemade Tomato Sauce: a flavorsome sauce that pairs well with the fluffy gnocchi
- Vegan Pesto: a more herbaceous and nuttier sauce for the health-conscious.
Given the rich culinary tradition of my country, every region has its own type of gnocchi. In Tuscany, they are made with spinach, flour and ricotta, and are called “malfatti”, which means “poorly made” due to their irregular shape. In Sardinia, they are made with semolina and called “malloreddus”, and in other regions they are made with semolina, layered with cheese and then baked.
Could you make gnocchi with mashed potatoes leftover? The answer is no, as they contain other ingredients (butter, cream, etc.) that might compromise the final results.
Could you make gnocchi with oven-baked potatoes? Yes, you can. Baked potatoes will be drier than boiled ones, as a result, you might need less flour.
This recipe is suitable for vegetarians. If you follow instead a gluten-free diet, replace the flour with a gluten-free one, but be warned that the final result might be challenging.
Could you make gnochi with other vegetables?
Definitely once you get the hang of making gnocchi, try them with beets, cauliflower or sweet potatoes.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH ITALIAN POTATO GNOCCHI
Usually, my grandma served gnocchi as a main meal. They can also be part of a traditional Italian multi-course meal, served as a primi or first course as in fact gnocchi are the equivalent of pasta. In Italy we do not usually serve gnocchi as a side dish.
If you are looking for more inspiration check my antipasti recipes and sides recipes.
HOW TO STORE POTATO GNOCCHI
I always advise to eat fresh gnocchi as soon as they are made. When gnocchi will be exposed to air and humidity for long they might become harder on the surface, so the texture might be a bit different.
CAN I FREEZE POTATO GNOCCHI?
You could also make a big batch and freeze them. If you plan to do so, take an oven tray, lay your dumpling on top and store it for about 1 hour in the freezer until they become hard. You can then store them in an freezer bag for up to 1 month. To cook the frozen gnocchi, do not unthaw them, but cook them directly in hot boiling water. They might take a few minutes longer to cook.
WHICH WINE TO PAIR WITH GNOCCHI WITH BROWNED BUTTER AND SAGE
Your wine choice to accompany gnocchi will depend on your chosen sauce. For the browned butter and sage sauce, I recommend a Soave from the Veneto region – its zesty notes counterbalance the rich and velvety sauce.
If you will serve your gnocchi with a ragu or a simple tomato sauce, I recommend a Chianti as its notes of tomato leaf pair well with both sauces.
Ingredients
To make Gnocchi
- 1¼ pound potatoes
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tbsp parmesan
- 1 unit egg
- 1 tsp salt
To make browned butter and sage sauce
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 sprigs sage leaves
Instructions
- 1. Start by boiling unpeeled potatoes in salted water, until they are cooked. Let them cool down and peel them.
- 2. Pass the potato through a potato ricer (see notes). Collect the riced potato in a fountain shape on a floured surface.
- 3. Add the flour, egg, salt and Parmesan to the riced potato and make the dough. Do not overdo it and do not press it too hard (see notes).
- 4. With a pasta cutter, divide the dough ball into 8 parts.
- 5. Roll each part into a log, 1/2" to 3/4" in thickness. Cut each roll into 1/2" pieces.
- 6. Shape the gnocchi. press gently each dumpling on a fork or on a pasta board, to make the recognizable gnocchi imprint (see notes).
- 7. In a skillet, add 3 tablespoons of butter and few leaves of sage. Let it brown, being careful to not burn it (see notes).
- 8. Bring a pot of salted water to boil, and add the gnocchi. If everything worked, the gnocchi will float to the surface in one minute. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and place them on the skillet where you browned the butter.
- 9. Plate them and enjoy this Italian homemade delicacy!
Notes
- It is better that the potatoes reach a cooler temperature before you pass them through a ricer. If the potatoes are still hot, they will contain more moisture, which will require you to use more flour than is needed. So be patient, and wait for the potato to cool.
- You have to be gentle and shape it into a ball quite fast, to avoid developing the gluten that lies in the flour which would make your gnocchi too chewy.
- I find that a pasta board gives more indentations per piece, so it collects more sauce and multiplies the taste. But if you do not have a pasta board, a fork is just perfect. If you do not want to make the imprints, you could just cut the log and stop at step 5.
- Brown butter and sage is a classic sauce, you can sprinkle some Parmesan on top.
- You could toss your gnocchi with beef, pesto, homemade tomato sauce or vegan pesto.
Nutrition
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