| GNOCCHI RECIPES |
| RECIPES |
| Potato Gnocchi |
| Potato Gnocchi with Fontina |
| Ricotta Gnocchi |
| Roman Baked Semolina Gnocchi |
| Bread and Spinach Gnocchi |
| Gnocchi in Brodo |
| The word "gnocco" in Italian means a little lump, which describes the shape of gnocchi. Like so many dishes based on the simple ingredients of the poor, gnocchi were originally made with only flour and water. Potato gnocchi recipes traditionally start by boiling the potatoes. However, baked potatoes don't seem to absorb as much flour and therefore are not as gummy. The key to making delicate gnocchi is to add as little flour as possible but enough to keep the dough together. The essential characteristics of gnocchi are that are light and fluffy, whether they are made of potatoes, ricotta, semolina flour or bread and spinach, as in the recipes that follow. Gnocchi take well to many sauces, such as Bolognese, Gorgonzola, pesto, or butter and sage. They can also be layered in a baking dish, topped with melted butter and parmesan cheese, and broiled to brown. |
| Potato Gnocchi (serves 4) |
| 5 baking potatoes |
| 2 egg yolks |
| 1/4 tsp. salt |
| 1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg |
| 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese |
| 1-1/2 cups all- purpose flour |
| Bake the potatoes in a 350-degree F. oven for 1 hour. Peel and mash them. |
| In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, salt, nutmeg, and parmesan cheese. |
| Add the mashed potatoes. |
| Add the flour, a little at a time, until a dough forms and holds together. |
| The dough should be soft but firm enough to roll. |
| Dust the work surface lightly with flour. |
| Divide the dough into 2 or more parts and shape each into a sausage-like roll about 1 inch in diameter. Cut the roll into pieces 3/4 inch long. |
| To shape the gnocchi, hold a fork with the concave (top-side) facing you. |
| With the index finger of your other hand, press the dough piece just below the top of the fork. Pull down toward the fork's handle and allow the dough to roll over on itself. |
| The pieces should have ridges on one side formed by the tines of the fork and a depression on the other formed by your finger. * |
| While working with gnocchi, dust your hands and work surface regularly with flour. |
| Place the formed gnocchi on a lightly floured surface. |
| Cook the gnocchi in boiling, salted water 2-3 minutes or until they float to the surface. |
| Remove and mix gently with your desired sauce. |
| * An Alternate Method to Form Gnocchi: |
| Take each piece of dough, press and roll it against a cheese grater to give it a nice design and texture. |
| Potato Gnocchi with Fontina (serves 4) |
| Ingredients as for Potato Gnocchi above, with the addition of the following topping: |
| 1/4 cup unsalted butter |
| 4 oz. Fontina cheese, thinly sliced |
| 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated |
| 2 cups traditional tomato sauce (optional) |
| Follow the recipe for Potato Gnocchi above. |
| After boiling, transfer the gnocchi to a baking dish. |
| Preheat the broiler. |
| In a small saucepan, heat the butter until lightly browned. Pour over the gnocchi. |
| Add the fontina slices on top and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. |
| Place under the broiler 1-2 minutes or until the cheese is melted and begins to brown. |
| Serve with tomato sauce on the side, if desired. |
| Ricotta Gnocchi (serves 4) |
| 1-1/2 lb. ricotta cheese |
| 1 cup all-purpose flour |
| 1 egg and 1 egg yolk, beaten together |
| 1 TB. fresh parsley, chopped |
| 1 tsp. salt |
| 1/4 tsp. pepper |
| 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg |
| Place the ricotta in a strainer over a bowl. |
| Place in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours to drain excess liquid from the cheese. |
| In a bowl, combine the drained ricotta, flour, eggs, parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. |
| Stir gently until a soft dough forms, adding a little more flour if it is too sticky. |
| Dust your work surface with flour. |
| To form the gnocchi, use a teaspoon to scoop up about a 1-inch ball of dough. |
| Use another spoon or a floured finger to push the dough off and shape into a smooth oval. |
| Place the formed gnocchi on a lightly floured surface. |
| Cook the gnocchi in boiling, salted water 2-3 minutes or until they float to the surface. |
| Remove and mix gently with your desired sauce. |
| Roman Baked Semolina Gnocchi (serves 4) |
| 4 cups whole milk |
| 1/2 tsp. salt |
| Pepper to taste |
| Pinch of grated nutmeg |
| 1 cup semolina flour |
| 1 TB. unsalted butter |
| 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided |
| 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten |
| 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted |
| 4 oz. ham or prosciutto, cut into strips (optional) |
| In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk just to the brink of a boil. |
| Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. |
| Slowly pour in the semolina, constantly whisking to avoid lumping. |
| Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook 10-12 minutes, until the mixture is very thick and stiff. |
| Stir often and scrape the bottom of the pan to avoid sticking. |
| Remove from the heat and stir in 1 TB. butter until completely melted. |
| Stir in 1/3 cup parmesan cheese and then the egg yolks. |
| Mixture should be well blended and smooth. |
| Moisten a 10x15" baking sheet; this keeps the dough from sticking. |
| Using a wet spatula, spread the semolina mixture evenly onto the baking sheet. |
| Let cool completely, about 40-50 minutes. |
| Position a rack in the upper part of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. |
| Butter a baking dish, about 9x12". |
| Using a round cutter 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter, cut out rounds of the semolina mixture. |
| Place the rounds in a single layer in the baking dish, overlapping them slightly like roof shingles. |
| Pour the melted butter over the gnocchi and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese. |
| If you are adding the ham strips, spread them on top now and dot with butter. |
| Bake until the top is golden, about 15 minutes. |
| Note: The gnocchi can be made in advance and refrigerated. Bake just before serving. |
| Bread and Spinach Gnocchi (serves 4) |
| 10 TB. unsalted butter, divided |
| 1 onion, finely chopped |
| 12 oz. spinach, cooked, squeezed dry, and chopped |
| 1 TB. garlic, minced |
| 3-4 cups stale Italian bread, crusts removed and cut into cubes |
| 2 TB. flour |
| 1-1/2 cups milk |
| 3 eggs |
| 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided |
| Salt and pepper to taste |
| In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 TB. of butter. |
| Add the onion and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. |
| Add the spinach and garlic. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes. |
| Remove from heat and allow to cool. |
| In a bowl, combine the bread, flour, eggs, 2 TB. cheese, salt and pepper, and mix well. |
| Stir in the spinach mixture. Let stand 30 minutes to allow the bread to soften. |
| To form the gnocchi, wet your hands to prevent sticking. |
| Shape the mixture into ovals about the size of small eggs. You should have about 16 gnocchi. |
| In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the gnocchi about 12 minutes. |
| Drain the gnocchi and transfer to a serving platter. |
| Melt the remaining butter and pour over the gnocchi. Top with the remaining cheese. |
| Serve. |
| Gnocchi in Brodo |
| To serve gnocchi as a soup, prepare either the Potato or Ricotta Gnocchi. |
| Bring beef broth to a boil. |
| Add the gnocchi and cook until the gnocchi float to the surface. |
| Serve in individual soup bowls and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. |
| Find a sauce to accompany your gnocchi: Basic Sauces Special Sauces |
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| 1 pound - $14.99 |
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