Perfect Pillowy Potato Gnocchi
Imagine diving into a bowl of perfect potato gnocchi, each pillowy morsel a delightful blend of simplicity and elegance.
Here, we transform humble potatoes into a comforting gourmet homemade pasta dish. These potato gnocchi are so light and tender they’ll practically melt in your mouth! If you love gnocchi, also try my ricotta gnocchi.
Serve with an easy marinara sauce or a slow-cooked pasta sauce.
Ingredients
The ingredients for potato gnocchi are straightforward – the ratio of ingredients and the technique (not overmixing and testing a few gnocchi before forming them all) are essential for success.
The secret ingredient here that makes this recipe differs from most (all?) others in that it contains cornstarch, which helps keep the gnocchi tender.
- Use Russet potatoes (ie, Idaho or baking potatoes) for their high starch content.
- The added cornstarch helps to tenderize the gnocchi dough – a secret that I recently learned from an Italian cooking site, and I am SO happy with the results.
- Yellow potatoes may also be used.
How To
Once your potatoes are cooked until they are very tender, mash them or rice them. Place the mashed potatoes on a clean surface, and drizzle the egg yolks on top of the cooled potatoes; sprinkle the potato/corn starch, Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese, salt, and flour on the mashed potatoes.
Gently knead until a soft, pliable ball forms. The dough should be soft and not sticky. Divide dough into six portions and roll each into a long rope about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the portions into smaller sizes if your ropes get too long. Cut gnocchi from each rope and stage onto a baking pan sprinkled with flour or semolina.
Sprinkle some flour on the gnocchi, place them without overlapping on a large baking sheet, and gently shake back and forth to coat them.
Top Tips:
- Overcooked potatoes are better than undercooked ones, which are mealy after ricing.
- Some people warm the mashed potatoes in a large pot to release more water (which means you’d need less flour and theoretically get softer gnocchi).
- After the dough is kneaded, do not form all the gnocchi, rather, form a few gnocchi and test them to ensure you added enough flour. Less is better than more since we can add flour but not take it away.
- Knead only until the dough comes together – extended kneading will toughen the gluten matrix.
- Freeze the gnocchi on sheets before bagging it for extended storage.
- Cook gnocchi until most of them float and then count to thirty.
- Add cooked gnocchi directly to the sauce for flavor infusion.
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📖 Recipe
Potato Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 3 lbs potatoes starchy, raw
- 2 medium egg yolks
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- ⅔ cup finely grated cheese Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour plus extra if needed to get a soft dough that is not sticky, and also more for dusting
Instructions
Cook the Potatoes:
- Microwave Method: Rinse potatoes and microwave on high for 5 to 7 minutes, depending on size, until very tender (use a fork to check if they are tender). Once cooled peel and scoop the flesh into a large bowl.
- Boiling Method: Rinse the potatoes and leave them unpeeled. Boil in a pot of water until very tender. Once warm, peel the potatoes and scoop the flesh out into a large bowl.
- Baking: Bake the potatoes on a large baking sheet for at least one hour at 350℉ (180℃). Once cooled, peel and scoop flesh into a large bowl.
Mash and Cool:
- Mash the potatoes well using a fork, potato masher, or potato ricer. If you are careful not to overwhip, you can use a mixer (unpopular opinion). Transfer to a large work surface and spread out. If you boiled the potatoes, consider heating them first in a pot to dry them out a bit.
Mix Ingredients:
- Drizzle the egg yolks to the top of the cooled mashed potatoes and then sprinkle the potato/corn starch, Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese, salt, and flour to the mashed potatoes and work into the potatoes. I like to use a bench knife but you can use whatever works.
- You may need to add significantly more flour, depending on the moisture content of your potatoes. This can vary widely depending on the cooking method and age of the potato.
Knead the Dough:
- Gently knead until a soft, pliable ball forms. The dough should be soft and not sticky. Add a little or a lot more flour if it is too sticky.
Test and Shape the Gnocchi: IMPORTANT DO NOT SKIP THIS
- Flour your work surface. Roll a small portion of dough into a rope about ¾ inch (2 cm) in diameter.
- Cut the rope into 1/2—to 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces and test a few by cooking them in boiling water to ensure you like the texture. If the remaining dough is too soft, you can add more flour.
- If you like the texture, continue to roll and cut ropes of dough to form the gnocchi on a well-floured surface, and store them on a well-floured baking tray or one lined with parchment paper.
- I like to periodically shake the tray to ensure the gnocchi are not sticking and floured enough.
- If you’d like, you can press and roll each piece against a fork or gnocchi board to create indentations but this is completely optional.
- Let them rest for 15 minutes.
Cook the Gnocchi:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, adding a tablespoon of olive oil.
- Cook the gnocchi in small batches, stirring gently, in the boiling salted water. If you add too many at once, they can get sticky or even disintegrate. Once they float to the surface, count to 30 or up to 1 minute or so. Then, remove immediately with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving dish with your favorite sauce.
- Top with your favorite pasta sauce and serve immediately.
Notes
- Overcooked potatoes are better than undercooked ones, which can be mealy after ricing.
- Some people warm the mashed potatoes in a large pot to release more water (which means you’d need less flour and theoretically get softer gnocchi).
- After the dough is kneaded, do not form all the gnocchi; instead, test a few gnocchi to ensure you added enough flour. Less is better than more since we can add flour but not take it away.
- Knead only until the dough comes together – extended kneading will toughen the gluten matrix.
- Freeze the gnocchi in a single layer on parchment-lined baking sheets before bagging them for extended storage.
- Cook gnocchi until most float, then count to thirty.
- Add cooked gnocchi directly to the sauce for flavor infusion.