Italian Grandma Lulu's time-honored recipe for potato gnocchi! With hands that have kneaded countless batches, and a heart filled with love for her family, Grandma’s gnocchi is not just food— it’s a dish that warms both heart and soul!
1 potato ricer alternatives: box grater, fine mesh sieve, fork
1 pastry cutter alternative: large knife
1 fork
Ingredients
2.2lbsYukon potatoesAlternatives: white Idaho or Russet; The ideal potato is starchy—not waxy.
1cupwhite flourpreferably pasta flour, but all-purpose or ’00’ flour is acceptable
1wholeegg
2pinchesfine salt
Instructions
Boil, Mash and Cool Potatoes
Boil whole potatoes (skins on) for about 45 minutes—or until tender! Remove them from the water. Immediately rice the potatoes while they are still hot using a ricer.
2.2 lbs Yukon potatoes
To avoid burning your hands, simply cut the potatoes in half and place the halves (peels still on) into the ricer cut-side down and squeeze! The peel should mostly remain in the ricer. Discard any tiny pieces of peel that get riced.
When all of the hot potatoes have been riced, cool them completely. You can even do this the night before you want to make the gnocchi.
Make the Gnocchi Dough
Make a well in the center of the pile of cold potatoes. Add an egg to the center of the well and about half of the flour to the edges of the potato pile. Add a couple of pinches of salt.
1 cup white flour, 1 whole egg, 2 pinches fine salt
Use a fork to mix the egg into the potatoes. Then, use your hands to mix the flour into the potatoes and egg. Don’t over mix.
Mix the dough just enough to incorporate the flour.
Add the rest of the flour as needed to create a soft, pliable dough.
Shape the Gnocchi
Stretch a piece of the dough at a time. Use the palms of your hands to stretch the dough into a rope about ¾ in (2 cm) in diameter.
Cut the rope into segments about the same width.
Cook the Gnocchi
Cook the gnocchi in boiling water until they rise to the surface—1-2 minutes! Remove them as soon as they rise to the top of the boiling water.
Add sauce or condiments and serve!
Video
Notes
Use Starchy PotatoesFor gnocchi, you generally want a potato that is starchy rather than waxy. Starchy potatoes yield a lighter, more delicate gnocchi. Potatoes like Yukon, Russet and Idaho are good choices. They're high-starch potatoes with a low moisture content, which makes the gnocchi lighter and fluffier. They also absorb just the right amount of flour, which prevents the gnocchi from becoming too heavy or gummy.Yukon Gold potatoes are another good option. They're a little waxier than Russets but still have a fairly high starch content. They have a naturally buttery flavor and a beautiful yellow color that can make your gnocchi visually appealing.Is a Ricer Necessary?While a potato ricer is considered the best tool for achieving the desired texture for gnocchi, there are a couple of alternative methods that can work fairly well if a ricer is not available:
Box Grater: Using the side with the large holes, you can grate the cooked potatoes. This method is a bit more labor-intensive than using a ricer, but it can yield a similar texture.
Fine Mesh Sieve: Push the cooked potatoes through a fine mesh sieve using a spatula or the back of a spoon. This can be a bit tedious but can give you a fine, airy texture similar to that achieved with a ricer.
Fork Mashing: If you don't have access to the above tools, you can use a fork to mash the potatoes. Be sure to do this gently and not over-mash, as you want to keep the potatoes as fluffy as possible.
Keep in mind that the key to good gnocchi is to have a light and fluffy potato texture without overworking them. Regardless of the method you use, it's important to handle the potatoes gently and avoid creating a gluey or dense dough.Rice Potatoes While Hot!Be sure to rice the potatoes immediately after boiling them— while they are still hot. You can simply cut the potatoes in half with the skins on and place them cut-side down in the ricer. This will prevent you from burning your hands!