Recipe from Culinary Imagination
There was a time when I wanted to make gnocchi, but all I had on hand were red potatoes. I knew that baking potatoes are preferred for gnocchi, but I found this recipe and decided to give it a try. I've never gone back. Thank you, Culinary Imagination. Classically, gnocchi are rolled against something grooved to give them ridges that hold sauce. I don’t find it worth the effort, but the gnocchi can be rolled along the tines of a fork before boiling if desired. These can be sauced in any number of ways. My usual approach is to cover them with a drizzle of olive oil, a simple marinara and a scattering of fresh herbs.
2 lb. red potatoes
1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. salt
1. Clean potatoes, then boil with skins on until easily pierced with a fork. When cool enough to handle, peel skin. Put peeled potatoes through a ricer, and spread out to finish cooling. When riced potatoes are cool, gather the potato into a mound, leaving a cavity in the center.
2. Put flour and salt in the cavity and then break egg on top. Using a fork, whip egg until white and yolk are mixed, then begin pulling flour and potato into the egg.
3. Using hands, finish incorporating all the potato, and knead until the mixture is homogenous. Do not over knead.
4. Pull off a chunk of dough approximately the size of a lime. Roll dough into a rope of about 1" thickness. Cut rope into chunks of about 1" length. Continue until all dough has been portioned.
5. Place gnocchi, about a dozen at a time in a large pot of salted, boiling water. Gnocchi are cooked when they rise to the surface. Remove floating gnocchi, sauce and serve.
