Potato Gnocchi

• portions: 8

Ingrédients

2 lbs russet potatoes (about 4 large potatoes)

1 cup all purpose flour

¼ cup ricotta cheese (drain the liquid if present)

1 large egg, beaten

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper, finely ground

Instructions

Wash the potatoes and pierce them all over with a fork. These holes will release steam and prevent them from exploding. Bake the potatoes at 450 F for 45-60 minutes in the air fryer or the oven, or until they are easily pierced by a fork.

Let the potatoes cool until they are easy to handle. Peel them and cut each one into slices, mashing in the preferred method. You can use a ricer for efficiency, but mushing it with two forks works as well.

Drizzle 1 beaten egg over the potatoes and add the ricotta, spread out as much as you can. Add the salt, pepper, and 1 cup of flour. Mix everything together with your hands lightly until everything is combined. Add flour to your work surface as needed to prevent sticking. Try not to over knead, only working the dough until just incorporated.

Roll the dough into a log and divide it into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into thinner logs, and cut them into 1 inch pieces, or as large as you want. Roll the gnocchi over a fork to get a ridged pattern on the outside.

Cook the gnocchi in batches in salted water. As soon as they float, cook for another minute and strain. Serve with your sauce of choice, optionally pan frying after boiling.

Notes

Gnocchi is a pasta made with potato, originating from Northern Italy. Derived from the Italian word for knuckle, this soft pillow shaped pasta is a great blank canvas to work from. The recipe listed here is a very simple one, but feel free to experiment with herbs or other spices in the dough. Typically you’ll press into each side of the gnocchi with a fork to create ridges for sauce to better stick to. In addition, you can sear the gnocchi on one side in some oil for some textural contrast. Serve the gnocchi with any sauce of your choosing, homemade or not.