I’m sharing one of my families favorite meals with you today! Gnocchi may appear to be a difficult dish to make, but, trust me, it’s not. These light little pillows of potato, egg and cheese are so delectable. There are many sauce variations to pair with gnocchi as well as many different types of gnocchi. This is a fairly basic recipe that I use and have used for years. I like to bake the potatoes early in the morning, let them cool and scoop out their meat for use later in the day when I begin assembling the dish. Our favorite sauce is a fresh tomato vodka sauce. We’ve also loved a brown butter sauce with sage, wild mushrooms and plenty of garlic when it’s a bit cooler outside. Gnocchi can be made with russet potatoes or sweet potatoes. I’ve even had it when poached fish was added to the mix, light, fluffy little pillows that pair perfectly with a buerre blanc sauce….heaven!
To prepare the Gnocchi: (serves 4-8)
4 russet potatoes
2 large egg yolks
sea salt to taste
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus a bit more for dusting
freshly ground pepper
freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Bake the potatoes at 400 degrees for one hour, or until tender. Cool the potatoes then halve them and scoop the flesh into a potato ricer. You can also push the potato meat through a colander with smaller holes if you do not have a ricer. Transfer the riced potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the egg and one teaspoon of salt. Add 1/2 cup of flour and stir until a stiff dough forms. Gently knead the dough until it is slightly sticky, yet smooth. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust with flour. Cut the dough into four pieces that you will then roll into 3/4 inch ropes. Cut each rope into 3/4 inch pieces and press against the tines of a fork to make ridges. Place on the baking sheet. In a deep skillet filled with simmering water, place the gnocchi. As they cook they will rise to the top of the water. Melt the butter in another skillet and add the drained gnocchi. Toss with the tomato vodka sauce, top with shredded parmigiano-reggiano cheese, a bit of cracked black pepper and serve.
Tomato Vodka Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 shallots, peeled and finely minced
1 tablespoon vodka
3 tablespoon heavy cream
1 cup Italian tomatoes in puree (Note: this is your call. I actually used a carton of organic grape tomatoes that I tossed in olive oil with a bit of pink sea salt, roasted at 300 degrees for an hour then added to the sauteed shallots….takes a bit more time, but worth the effort!)
1/4 cup fresh basil, julienned
sea salt and pepper to taste
Melt the butter in a saute pan, add the shallots and cook until just tender. Add the vodka and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add the heavy cream and tomatoes stirring to combine. Pour sauce over the cooked gnocchi and top with basil. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.
