Tossed in a simple butter-sage sauce, these delicate potato dumplings are an Italian delicacy.
To start the gnocchi, preheat your oven to 400º degrees Fahrenheit. Place the potatoes onto a sheet of foil, add the salt and water and wrap. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until cooked through.
Peel the potatoes while they are still hot. Cut and rice the potatoes, making sure they don’t pile up in one spot. Let the potatoes cool completely before proceeding.
To make the dough, sprinkle the potatoes with a good amount of flour. Aerate the potatoes with a bench scraper and then add the salt, nutmeg and white pepper.
Break up the egg yolks and pour them over the potatoes. Cover the surface again with more flour. Continue to cut and gently lift the dough.
Test the dough by squeezing it gently in your hand. It shouldn’t stick. Add a bit more flour, if needed.
Once done, shape the dough into a rectangle and fold it a few times, using your fingertips to bring it together. Flatten the dough out until it is about the thickness of your finger. Sprinkle with flour and let the dough rest for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Cut strips of dough, about the width of your finger, and sprinkle the strips with flour so they don’t stick to each other. Roll out each strip and cut the ropes into 3/4" -inch pieces. Separate them slightly and flour them well so they don’t stick together.
For a more rustic look, you can leave the gnocchi as is. Shaping the dough makes them look better and also creates a little pocket to capture the sauce. This can be done with or without a gnocchi paddle.
Once done, sprinkle with flour and cover with a clean dry cloth. Fresh gnocchi can sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking. If your kitchen is quite cool and dry, then the resting period can be a bit longer. If, however, your kitchen is quite warm and you want to prep the gnocchi ahead of time, it is better to cook them immediately and then cool them.
You can also freeze gnocchi raw. Just place them onto a tray, making sure they aren’t touching each other. Once frozen, transfer to a plastic freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Cook the gnocchi from frozen and serve with your favorite sauce.
To cook the gnocchi, bring a pot of cold water to a simmer and add the salt.
Place a large, heat proof bowl over the pot. Add the butter, sage and salt. Once this has melted, set aside.
To cook the gnocchi, gently place the gnocchi into the simmering water, stirring now and again, to make sure nothing is sticking. Gnocchi takes only a couple of minutes to cook, so, as soon as they float to the top, lift them out.
Allow the excess water to drain. Then place into the warm sage butter, toss gently and top with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve.
You can also freeze gnocchi raw. Just place them onto a tray and into the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Do not let frozen gnocchi thaw. Cook them straight from the freezer by placing them into simmering water.