Homemade Potato Gnocchi

I made the gnocchi and froze them. Today I cooked them using the the pan fried gnocchi with lemon and sage recipe. Not so good. Sauce was great, but something was wrong with the gnocchi. They felt as if they were not cooked...limp..slightly slimy and stuck to the pan. They lacked any body. Any suggestions? I love gnocchi and was really looking forward to them. :< Dottie

If you're going to cook frozen gnochhi, make sure they go in plenty of boiling, salted water ONE AT THE TIME. If they are thrown in, they will quickly cool the water and sit at the bottom as a lump. Make sure they float, take one out and taste to make sure they are cooked through. Also, frozen gnocchi will cook a bit more starchy than fresh ones, so may require being re-freshed in cold ice bath to remove the starches, set in the fridge AND THEN pan fried in the butter.

I would love to try this recipe but don't have a ricer. Can you suggest an alternative method?

Thanks.
Charmian

You could let the potatoes cool slightly enough to handle them (still warm though) and then push them through a stainless steel colander. The collander needs to be one with small holes though. Or you could gently mash them being careful to not over mash them.

The results from a ricer though are much better as it actually helps to aerate the potatoes as well.

I fully cook the gnocchi, briefly cool them in ice water (or just gently rinse in a sieve with cold water if I am lazy), let them dry in a single layer on paper towels, and then quick freeze them on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Wrap well, defrost what you need. I like to warm them in plenty of unsalted butter, then put them (about 1 1/2 layers, if that makes sense) in a small baking dish, and then sprinkle with parmesan. Bake in a hot oven or broil until cheese and gnocchi are lightly browned

Do you find that the gnocchi stick to the paper towel though?

Rinsing the gnocchi helps with sticking, plus I don't leave them on the paper very long. Since making gnocchi is time consuming and messy, I like to make 2 or 3 batches because once you are set up, it does'nt take that much longer and you are set for impromptu side dishes.

A friend from Sicily once had us over for dinner and had us help with shaping the gnoccis. Instead of a paddle, he simply handed us each a fork! It's a bit different from using the paddle, as it's a quick sort of back-and-forth movement, but the end result is the same shell shape with that striped pattern on the outside. Once you got the move right, you could churn them out quite rapidly, and it was a lot of fun.

I had two "problems" while making this dish. Can someone tell me what I might have done wrong? First, when the dough was ready and I was rolling it up for cutting, the dough kept breaking into tiny pieces. Second it was simply impossible to shape them :) lol Seriously, I tried to shape them like I saw in the video, but the dough didn't roll like it was supposed to. It didn't stick, so I don't think the problem was the flour...also I tried different kinds of pressure, but that didn't work neither...I felt like it wasn't "light" enough, that's why it didn't roll....what happened?

Anyway I froze them up, gonna cook it tomorrow and let you guys know if the taste was good (cross your fingers!!). Truthfully it is the least of my concerns because I had a lot of fun doing it and that's what really matters! Maybe next time i'll completely get it right ;)

Ah, something with so few ingredients can be so tricky sometimes. Probably need more info, looks like the dough wasn't ready for shaping yet. Make sure the potaotes are cooked through, riced when they are hot, then cooled. Add your egg yolk, or equal part whole beaten egg (don't need too much), then add your flour, incorporating it gently. At one point you will have to firmly press the flour into the potatoes to develop enough gluten so they don't break apart too easily. Form your flat disk of dough with plenty of flour on top and bottom. Rest for at least 5-10 minutes before cutting and rolling. Then shape them with plenty of flour nearby to coat.

Believe me, my first crack at this was a disaster. This is feel cuisine. Follow the guidelines again and you'll have better success. Get back on the gnocchi bike..the ride is worth it.

Thanks Tony! You know what? You're absolutely right, I'm gonna try to do it again today and I'm positive I'll have better luck this time. Thanks for the tips, I'll keep them in mind while I go through with this recipe once more. And oh, inspite of the trouble with rolling the dough and not being able to shape them, the gnocchis tasted wonderful! I was actually surprised myself! Thanks for the recipe, the tips and the incentive, knowing that I was not the only one who had trouble with this at the first time is a relief! :) Hopefully I'll come back with good news! Thanks again!

This went fantastic!! :) I didn't have a paddle, instead i try what Björn K described above (using a fork) and it worked really good, i got a really nice shell shape with pattern on it!

We just had Gnocchi with Warm Sage Butter for dinner and we love it :). Next time i will try to combine the gnocchi with another type of sauce. Any suggestions?

Congrats on your gnocchi success...so glad you liked it.

One of my favorite gnocchi variations is one we actually have on the site is called:

Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Lemon-Sage Sauce

Joe also loves taking melting mascarpone cheese with fresh sage and cracked black pepper and then he tosses in the warm gnocchi (sometimes he even pan-frys it first). Rich and delicious.

Hi,
I have been wondering which is the material of your counter top. It looks so resistant to everything!. We are getting a new house and we are figuring out what kind of counter top to choose. Could you give us some advise based on your experience?
Thanks!

I am no expert on counter tops, but I think my next one would be made of quartz. It is apparently stronger than granite. It is also highly resistant to stains and scratches.

For more information, here is an article that talks about the growing popularity of quartz counter tops (and why they are so good) http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=72ffd83a-0ba5-49b2-afc7-f37ac815d911

As for the counter tops here at Rouxbe, they are actually not that durable. I think perhaps it's the color (which we picked because it was very neutral) that makes them look like they have very few marks. But next ones we will look into will most likely be quartz.

Good luck, hope this helps!

can one keep gnocchi in the refrigerator? cooked or uncooked? how long?

Thanks
Tori

If you're going to hold the gnocchi for any length of time, best to simply pre-cook them, cool them in ice water and immediately lay them on a tray with a touch of olive oil. Then can then be stored in the refrigerator for at least two days. Simply reheat in sauce, with no need to dunk them in simmering water again.

Uncooked gnocchi can rest on a floured counter for a couple of hours, but don't transfer them to a refrigerator because they can absorb moisture and become sticky.

I made these last night and they tasted great, the wife loved them. I had one issue though and that was shaping the gnocchi. When I tried to roll the gnocchi they just seemed to fall apart? Am I not working the dough enough if this is the case? When I was working the dough I was trying to be consious not to work it too hard or too much but Im thinking this is where I went wrong. They tasted great, but were almost too soft? Any suggestions?

A couple of possibilities here. One, the dough needed just a bit more flour. Also, make sure when bringing the dough together, there are no pockets of flour inside the dough. It appears you were also perhaps too delicate bringing the dough together - a bit of gluten is good, too much will make them tough. Finally, let the dough rest for at least 20 minutes before cutting and rolling. The longer the rest, the better the flour absorbs the moisture evenly. So, a bit more flour, more deliberate bringing together of the dough, and longer rest before cutting.

Gnocchi - what a delicate thing, eh?

Is it possible to substitute sweet potatoes or butternut squash for the Yukon gold potatoes for a different flavor?

Yes it is possible but it may change the amount of flour you need as their water content can be different or more wet.

I saw an Italian TV chef once doing it in a weird way, he made a well of flour like in pasta then he added the potatoes in the middle with the eggs.

I made these on the weekend and they turned out great! I have been making them for years but never could figure out how to make them not so rubbery. I think its the chopping with the flour and eggs that must keep them tender.

I just saw the pasta making videos...could Gnocchi be made in a food processor using a similar method?

I don´t have a food processor yet but after seeing the pasta videos I have another reason to get one.

No, I wouldn't try this. Even the pulsing mechanism on a food processor would be too much and could potentially form too much gluten in the dough. Keep these tender by making them by hand. Cheers!

I don't have a ricer. Can I use a food mill instead, like the one used to remove seeds for the tomato sauce?

Yes a food mill, fit with the finest disc, could also work; however it is important to know that a ricer makes fluffier potatoes and therefore the lightest gnocchi. Hope this helps!

Instead of peeling them with a paring knife, I like to scoop out the inside into a bowl, and scrape and excess off with a knife before putting it into the ricer. This is an ok method to use?

Ultimately you can peel the potatoes however you like. The advantage to peeling them (rather than scooping them) is that you waste less on the potato. But like I said, whatever floats your boat. Cheers!

Thank you for all the advice, I am a prep cook at a very busy restaurant and one of our biggest sellers is a Braised short rib served over gnocchi. As a former student of Chef Tony, I greatly appreciate the work done on this website.
Thanks Rouxbe

Hi,

The video ends but doesn't show you how *specifically* to cook the gnocchi...bring the water to a boil first and then add like regular pasta? If this is correct, how long do you boil it for so you don't overcook them? Thank you! :)

Is the nutmeg absolutely necessary or can it be omitted without much consequence? If it must be used, can I use regular nutmeg (like McCormick's in the little jar) or must it be freshly grated?

You can follow the instructions for cooking gnocchi in this recipe for Gnocchi with Warm Sage Butter. As for the nutmeg, this is optional. You can use ground nutmeg, if that's all you have. Cheers!

I tried making to Gnocchi 3 times - and failed :(
The 4th time - i thought i failed again till a friend told me i should use an oven to warm to Gnocchi for few min - as the oven dries it more.
The results were fantastic !

I would like to hear your comment about using an Oven, do you recommend it ?
I guess im doing something wrong in the original process.
Thanks !

-E

I am not clear at what stage of the process you are using the oven to warm the gnocchi.

I also am not clear on how you have failed. What happens? We need more information to be able to help. Cheers!

I tried this for the first time last night and they turned out great. I didn't have a ricer so I had to force the potatoes through my mesh strainer. It aerated them enough but was a bit of a pain, so I'll probably buy a ricer for next time.

This recipe could probably be a full-blown cooking school lesson. While I don't think that gnocchi are technically pasta, the process for making them is similar enough that it seems like a good stepping stone towards making fresh pasta. (without having to purchase much equipment)

I used all the tips for gnocchi here. I had 7 people at a dinner party and handed out aprons and had them all form the gnocchi. We had a blast and the gnocchi turned out fantastic.

Here is another thread/comment from Chef Tony on this matter. By that way, it sounds like your gnocchi dinner was delicious. Nice work. Cheers!

why do you have to let the dough rest after kneading and why do you have to let the dough rest for 4 hours after you cut and shape the dough?

The dough needs to rest after it has been kneaded to relax the gluten that has been developed. Resting will produce an end product that is tender. It might be helpful for you to watch the lessons in the Breads section in the Cooking School for more information on this subject.

You do not have to let the gnocchi rest for 4 hours. Once the dough rests for about 10 minutes, it can be cut, shaped and cooked. If you aren't ready to cook, the dough can sit for up to four hours prior to cooking it. Cheers!

It says in the video after cutting and shaping let it rest for 4 hours

As Kimberley mentioned in her comment above "You do not have to let the gnocchi rest for 4 hours. Once the dough rests for about 10 minutes, it can be cut, shaped and cooked. If you aren't ready to cook, the dough can sit for up to four hours prior to cooking it."

At the end of Step 2, it says let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes. In Step 3, we indicate that fresh gnocchi can sit at room temperature for 4-5 hours before cooking it. Cheers!

got my answer

thanks

What is the proper way to store the gnocchi in the freezer and refrigerator? Will it change its texture thanks

At the end of Step 3, we show you how to store gnocchi in the freezer. Please read through this forum thread - there are some tips on keeping gnocchi in the refrigerator. Cheers!

Can I put the dough in a pastry bag and squeeze and cut in the water directly ? I saw this method when making Parisian gnocchies .

For this dough, it is best to handle it delicately and cut the gnocchi by hand. With other types of gnocchi, i.e. Parisienne like you mention, the dough can be placed into a pastry bag. Cheers!

Tried this tonight but I couldn't find any of the recommended potatoes here in the uk so I had to make do with what I had (Vivaldi). Would like to think this was the main reason for it not turning out too well! The dough came together well and didnt stick to my hands so I assumed it had enough flour. Perhaps it didnt as it seemed extremely delicate when It came to shaping. Once cooked it was extremely slimey looking though I guess it did kind of taste vaguely like gnocchi but pretty horrible gnocchi!

Is there any other potato other than the 2 you mention. The 4 main varieties here are king edward, Marris piper, Desiree and marfona.

Sorry to hear this didn't go so well for you. Try to use a potato with a high starch content. There are 1000's of different types of potatoes. Perhaps Vivaldi's have a waxier texture. I did a quick search on the internet and found this potato site. It looks like King Edward potatoes would work well. They are more on the floury side of the scale than the waxy side. Don't give up! Making your own gnocchi is a real treat. Hope this helps! Cheers!

thanks - next time I will use either the King Edawrd or the Rooster which is also on the higher floury scale.

Id try again tonight, but my wife would kill me due to the issue of getting flour over the whole kitchen!

Tried again tonight with a more floury potato. It was a bit better (maybe 5/10)! The problem is they are still extremely slimey once cooked. What do you think is the main cause of this? The only difference between the video and mine, that I noticed, was that my dough came together much quicker ie the rice shape of the riced potato disappeared very quickly.

Does this mean I didn't add enough flour? Would this be the cause of the sliminess? Or is it still that the potato is not right?

You're getting there Darren. Welcome to the world of real cooking. It takes a few attempts, but more important making some key observations along the way.

It seems to me you're on the right track. Noticing that your dough came together much quicker tells me you need to add more flour right at the beginning to keep the pieces of potato apart. Also, make sure the riced potato has cooled down completely. Don't be afraid of the flour in the beginning, fluff the mixture, pick some of it up and let it tell you if it needs more flour.

Gnocchi making is a FEEL thing. But once you get it, you'll be able to translate this victory into so many other techniques. There's so much more to learn about cooking in 3,4,5 attempts rather than getting lucky the first time. It took me a few times to nail my gnocchi with the potatoes grown in my region. Stick to it and yours won't stick much longer.

I made the gnocchi and it came out great (I need to work on my rolling skills, some spots were thinner/thicker than others). In a restaurant I use to work at the chef would have a specific person just for making pasta (ravioli, and gnocchi etc.). I have made this only a hand full of times in culinary school, and a few times at home. Hopefully with practice I can get the rolling down packed. I also don't have a ricer or food mill (two things I will buy tomorrow) so I used a masher and the texture was not bad at all (of course having a ricer probably would have made the end product feel and taste better). I made it with a brown butter sauce and freshly grated grana padano and chopped parsley. I Also used the back of a fork to shape the gnocchi. In the end the flavor and texture was great.

What can I use in stead of flour in this recipe ?

Thanks

Martine

Tricky. This would require binders like xanthum gum to achieve the texture gluten provides. Wihtout a binder, a combination of flours like rice (brown), chicke pea, even chestnut, corn will work, but expect the gnocchi to be very fragile - your binder will solely be the starch.

Don't have too much experience with gluten-free gnocchi, but I'm sure some have made some headways with this.

Saw your post and it reminded me of a friend of mine. She was visiting us and made a comment about not being able to enjoy sausage gravy and biscits. I set to work and substatueed Rice flour for the wheat flour. It worked well. What does anyone else think?

Made these this afternoon, was worried about dough shaping because the video wouldn't play the second section on my computer today. Not to worry, they turned out great! I did a double batch but separated the two halves in case of errors. Put both sets in freezer and ate one tonight with a basil and cherry tomato sauce. Really excellent. Definitely going to make again (and again!).

Hi Gail- Were you able to get the second video to work? I'm curious about what may have gone wrong there. In any event, congratulations on the success.

Enjoy.

Hi! I've read in various places that egg in gnocchi acts as a binder (or yolk, adds some fat for texture) but that it calls for more flour for the extra moisture. Some recipes do add yolks (or egg), like Keller's and some just flour. Since it is not imperative to use from what I understand, in your opinion, what does adding that bit of yolk provide or improve on the just potato & flour gnocchi? Thanks!!

The egg adds flavor and richness to the flour and potato as well as a hint of color. A touch of egg can also make the end product seem a bit more tender or delicate, as it will hold together the gnocchi with less flour, yielding a more tender final product. I hope this helps!

Thanks for the answer Ken, I thought it to be the opposite as egg introduced more moisture & I believed more flour would be needed in turn to compensate. I guess it is the proteins in the whole egg or in the yolk that help in requiring less flour! If I get a chance, I'll try them side by side (some potato with just flour vs potato w/ flour and yolks) and share the results!