Perfetto Potato Gnocchi
Serves 4

Perfetto!

Inspiration

For thirty some years I have been both fascinated with and challenged by gnocchi, which I tasted for the first time in a tiny restaurant in Umbria. As each delicate dumpling melted in my mouth I vowed that I would learn to make it.  Well, after seven or eight recipes, lots of advice, half eaten restaurant servings and many different commercial brands, I thought I had lost interest. Then yesterday I noticed 4 very ripe tomatoes, 2 big russet potatoes, some garlic and an almost wrinkled red bell pepper in the fruit basket. I knew there was wonderful Italian whole milk ricotta and aged Italian Asiago cheese in the refrigerator and I thought, “OK, one more time. I will add ricotta to the basic recipe and see what happens.”  Perfetto!

Since cooked gnocchi can be refrigerated for up to two days, the next two postings will be sauces. That way you can concentrate on one thing at a time. Novel idea for cooks.

Hints

1. Making tender gnocchi is all about soft touch. Ricing the cooked potato turns it into tiny pieces that are separated by air. Drying it afterward reduces the moisture that turns them into glue balls. Drain the water away from the ricotta before adding it, and let the egg provide most of the moisture in the dumplings.
2. To keep from stretching the gluten in the flour, mix and knead delicately and for as little time as possible.
3. If you double this recipe, change the cooking water half way through as gnocchi release starch into the water and it will stick to the dumplings.

Ingredients

2 large or three medium russet potatoes
¾ cup all-purpose flour
3 tbs. whole milk ricotta
1 extra large egg
1 pinch kosher salt
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Procedure

1. Bake the potatoes (I used the microwave 9 minutes each) until soft, and peel them. Press through a potato ricer onto wax paper, spreading them apart with a fork as they come through the ricer to prevent sticking. Let them cool and dry out.
   

   Potato Ricer

2. Fill a large pot with 6-7 cups water and bring to a boil. Prepare a large mixing bowl with cold water and two trays of ice. Put olive oil into a third bowl.
3. When the riced potatoes are cool and dry, gently nudge them into a pile with a fork.
   

   Testure of dried, riced potato

4. Make a well in the center and sift the flour into the hole. Add the ricotta, the egg and the salt .
   

   Riced Potato, Flour, Egg and Ricotta

5. Using the fork, stir the flour and egg into the potato until the egg and cheese are mixed in. Then bring the mixture together into dough with your hands. Work it very gently into a ball and then knead gently until the dough is no longer sticky.
6. Cut the dough into 4 or 5 parts. Roll them into long pieces about ¾” thick .
   

   Rolled Dough

7. With a sharp knife or a fork held straight up, cut the rolls into pieces about 1” long .
   

   Cut Gnocchi

8. Drop the pieces into boiling water to cook until they float and then about 1 minute longer. With a slotted spoon transfer them from the water into the ice water bath to cool. Put another batch of gnocchi into the boiling water, and transfer the draining gnocchi into the bowl containing olive oil.Continue cooking, cooling and draining gnocchi until all of it is in the bowl and covered with oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to serve (can be up to two days or when the sauce recipes are posted).