HOW TO MAKE POTATO GNOCCHI LIKE AN ITALIAN NONNA
Watch the Potato Gnocchi video recipe:
How To Make Potato Gnocchi like an Italian Nonna
Vincenzo’s Plate Tips
Cut the Potato Into Small Chunks
Instead of boiling your peeled potatoes whole, Nonna instructs to chop the potatoes into smaller chunks. This will help the potatoes to boil faster and more easily, making it easier to work with when mashing them to create gnocchi.
Let the Potatoes Cool
Don’t Be Afraid of Flour
But once it all binds, stop! You don’t want to add too much flour or the final result will be a hard texture.
Boil the Water
Avoid Overcooking
Use Fresh Sauce
How to Serve Potato Gnocchi
To make these with Nonna’s red sauce begin by pouring a bit of sauce onto the bottom of a serving bowl. Next, strain and drain the gnocchi well. Add them to the bowl, pour a bit more sauce on top, and combine well. Sprinkle parmesan cheese generously over the dish.
Nonna suggests saving a bit of pasta sauce in your saucepan. This way, when you begin to serve individual plates, you can add some extra sauce on top for more flavour and a lovely presentation. Now, it’s an Italian masterpiece!
Nonna’s Potato Gnocchi Recipe
Print Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Chopping-board
- 1 Cutting knife
- 1 Potato ricer or fork
- 1 Tray
- 1 bowl
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 Wooden Fork
- 1 large pot
- 1 Saucepan or pot
- 1 Strainer
- 1 Ladle
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 5-6 potatoes, Nonna prefers yellow potatoes
- 300 grams Plain flour, 11oz. plus more for kneading
- 1 egg
For the Sauce:
- 1 litre Tomato passata, 4 cups
- 1/2 Carrot
- 1/2 Onion
- Celery stalk
- Basil
- Salt, as much as required
- Pepper, as much as required
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, as much as required
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, as much as desired
Instructions
To prepare the gnocchi:
- Begin by peeling and washing your potatoes. Cut them into small chunks so they are easier to boil.
- Once the water has started boiling, add the potatoes and cover. Allow it to boil for 10 minutes or until you can easily press the fork right through – don’t overcook them!
- Add the potatoes to a potato ricer, bit by bit. You can also rice your potatoes with a fork, but this method takes longer.
- Spread out the riced potato to allow it to cool down and break up any clumps.
- Once cooled (but before it gets cold), bring all of the riced potatoes back together in a pile, and create an indent or well. Break your egg directly into the well, beat by hand, and mix with the riced potato.
- Add flour to the mix and begin to combine it with the potato. Keep bringing the potato and flour mixture together and collect as much excess flour as possible. It may look crumbly, but if you keep working it, it can be worked in and will make the best dough.
- Once the dough is formed and there are no sticky spots, and it is not overly soft, form a small “loaf” and cut. The inside should be soft like a doughnut but with no stickiness.
- Use the cut portion of the dough to roll into a long, thin “snake”. Continue cutting the dough and rolling snakes until all the dough is used.
- Bias cut the snakes (you can do two or more at a time if you want to save time) at an angle to make the little pillows of gnocchi pasta.
- Transfer the cut gnocchi onto a floured tray. The gnocchi can be frozen directly on the tray and transferred to a ziplock for easy storage (if desired).
To cook the gnocchi:
- Boil your water and add rock salt then add fresh gnocchi to the pot.
- Because it is fresh pasta, it may stick more. Use a wood fork to stir (gently) and prevent sticking.
- Once the gnocchi rise, they’re ready – if you’re unsure or you prefer them a little harder, taste one!
- Strain and drain well.
To prepare and cook the sauce:
- Finely chop your carrot and onion and add them to a saucepan.
- Add a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil to the pan.
- Fry slowly and sauté for a few minutes then pour your tomato sauce into the saucepan.
- Add a stalk of celery for an aromatic flavour.
- Allow the sauce to heat and simmer for at least half an hour. When the oil comes to the top, it’s ready.
- Remove from heat and add fresh basil. Always wait to add the basil. If you cook with the basil the whole time, it will disintegrate and add no flavour.
- Add sauce to the bottom of a serving bowl before pouring strained gnocchi on top and covering with another layer of sauce and parmigiano cheese!
Video
5 Steps to Perfect Homemade Gnocchi (No Gummy Dough)
There is something so satisfying about turning a few potatoes into soft, pillowy gnocchi with your own hands, especially when the family is already asking when lunch will be ready. If yours have turned out heavy or fallen apart in the pot before, do not give up! A few small changes can make a big difference, from choosing your potatoes to knowing when to stop working the dough. These five tips will help you approach my family’s recipe with more confidence, so get your potatoes ready and make a little room on the counter.
1. Start with the Right Potatoes
Choose starchy, floury potatoes such as Russets to help keep your gnocchi light. Boiling them whole with the skin on helps limit how much water they absorb, although peeled potatoes can also work. Whichever method you use, keep an eye on them so they cook until tender without falling apart.
2. Cook Until Tender, Then Release the Steam
Check the potatoes with a knife: it should slide easily into the center. Drain them, peel if necessary and pass them through a potato ricer while still warm, then spread them across your work surface to cool slightly and release steam. You want that excess moisture to escape before you start making the dough. Wetter potatoes need more flour to hold together. Too much flour can make your gnocchi heavy and dense instead of soft and pillowy.
3. Give the Dough a Gentle Touch
Make a well in the riced potatoes, add the egg and gradually dust over the flour, gently bringing everything together with your hands. Stop once you have a soft, cohesive dough, because this is not bread dough and it does not need a workout. Too much kneading can leave you with tough gnocchi instead of the tender little pillows we want.
4. Keep Your Gnocchi Similar in Size
On a lightly floured surface, roll portions of dough into ropes about the thickness of your thumb, then cut them into evenly sized pieces so they cook at a similar rate. You can leave them smooth or gently roll each piece over the back of a fork with your thumb to create ridges that catch the sauce. Shapes vary across Italy, so do not worry if yours look a little different from Nonna’s.
5. Have the Sauce Ready First
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of rock salt. Add the gnocchi and watch closely, because they cook quickly. For these small, fresh gnocchi, floating to the surface is your cue to check that they are cooked. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and transfer them straight into your prepared sauce. Toss gently and serve immediately, because after all that careful handling, we do not want to squash them at the last moment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my gnocchi gummy?
Too much moisture, too much flour or overworking the dough can make potato gnocchi gummy or dense. After ricing the warm potatoes, spread them out and let the steam escape. Wetter potatoes need more flour to hold together, which can make your gnocchi heavy. Add flour gradually and gently bring the dough together, stopping once it is soft and no longer sticky. Remember, this is not bread dough, so it does not need a workout!
How do you keep gnocchi from falling apart?
Start with properly drained potatoes and let excess steam escape after ricing. Add enough flour to make a soft dough that holds together without sticky spots, but avoid overworking it. Wait until your salted water is boiling before adding the gnocchi, and watch closely because they cook quickly. When they float, check one for doneness, then lift them out with a slotted spoon. Transfer them into your prepared sauce and toss gently so those delicate pillows stay intact.
What potatoes are best for gnocchi?
Starchy, floury potatoes such as Russets are a good choice for light potato gnocchi. In the video, I also suggest Desiree and Dutch Cream. Boiling potatoes whole with their skins on helps limit water absorption, although peeled potatoes also work, as Nonna demonstrates in the recipe. Whichever method you choose, cook them until a knife slides easily into the center, drain well and rice while warm, then spread them out to release steam before making your dough.
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