Gnocchi

Original recipe found in Williams Sonoma Comfort Food.

This was my first attempt at gnocchi and it was excellent.  I ended up having to add a lot more flour than the recipe called for, about 1 1/2 cups more.  The dough finally started to firm up after adding more.  I am not what caused that, but in the end everything turned out.  Another suggestion would be to double the recipe and freeze some for next time!

 Ingredients:

1 2/3 pounds potatoes

Salt

2 large eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups flour, or as needed

In a large sauce pan, combine unpeeled potatoes with salted water to cover by 1 inch, cover pan and bring to a boil at high heat.  Reduce heat to medium low and summer until tender when pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold running water until easy to handle.  Peel the potatoes and return them to the sauce pan.  Cook over medium low heat, shaking the pan often, to evaporate excess moisture, about 2 minutes.

Press the warm potatoes through a ricer.  Stir in the eggs and 2 teaspoons salt.  Gradually stir in enough flour to make a soft dough.  Turn dough out on to lightly floured work surface and kneed gently a few times until smooth.  Add just enough flour to prevent sticking.

Lightly flour a rimmed baking sheet. 

I worked with small balls of dough to roll into strips about 3/4 inch in diameter.  This made the ropes shorter, but a lot easier to handle.  Cut the ropes into 1 inch lengths and transfer to a prepared baking sheet.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add half the gnocchi to the water and simmer until they rise to the surface.  Use a skimmer to transfer gnocchi to a warmed serving bowl and cover to keep warm.  Repeat with the remaining gnocchi.

I added pesto and chicken to my gnocchi and served a dinner.  Feel free to add any sauce you want.  Gnocchi will hold up in thicker sauces as well.